form of monarchistic government, I commenced at once to instill the glorious ideals of Communism into the breasts of the retainers of the old ras; but once again I was frustrated by an informer, and only by chance did I escape with my life.
'This time, however, I succeeded in enticing a number of men to accompany me. We stole horses and weapons from the ras and rode south where we joined a band of
'This organized body of raiders and thieves made an excellent force with which to levy tribute upon chance travellers and caravans, but the returns were small and so we drifted down into this remote country of the Ghenzi where we can ply a lucrative trade in black ivory.'
'Black ivory? I never knew there was such a thing.'
Capietro laughed. 'Two legged ivory,' he explained.
Stabutch whistled. 'Oh,' he said, 'I think I understand. You are a slave raider; but where is there any market for slaves, other than the wage slaves of capitalistic countries?'
'You would be surprised, comrade. There are still many markets, including the mandates and protectorates of several highly civilized signatories to world court conventions aimed at the abolition of human slavery. Yes, I am a slave raider—rather a remarkable vocation for a university graduate and the former editor of a successful newspaper.'
'And you prefer this?'
'I have no alternative, and I must live. At least I think I must live—a most common form of rationalization. You see, my newspaper was anti-Fascist. And now, comrade, about yourself—what 'scientific' research is the Soviet government undertaking in Africa ?'
'Let us call it anthropology,' replied Stabutch. 'I am looking for a man.'
'There are many men in Africa and much nearer the coast than the Ghenzi country. You have travelled far inland looking for a man.'
'The man I look for I expected to find somewhere south of the Ghenzies,' replied Stabutch.
'Perhaps I can aid you. I know many men, at least by name and reputation, in this part of the world,' suggested the Italian.
Stabutch, had he been entirely sober, would have hesitated to give this information to a total stranger, but alcohol induces thoughtless confidences. 'I search for an Englishman known as Tarzan of the Apes,' he explained.
Capietro's eyes narrowed. 'A friend of yours?' he asked.
'I know of no one I would rather see,' replied Stabutch.
'You say he is here in the Ghenzi country?'
'I do not know. None of the natives I have questioned knew his whereabouts.'
'His country is far south of the Ghenzies,' said Capietro.
'Ah, you know of him, then?'
'Yes. Who does not? But what business have you with Tarzan of the Apes?'
'I have come from Moscow to kill him,' blurted Stabutch, and in the same instant regretted his rash admission.
Capietro relaxed. 'I am relieved,' he said.
'Why?' demanded the Russian.
'I feared he was a friend of yours,' explained the Italian. 'In which case we could not be friends; but if you have come to kill him you shall have nothing but my best wishes and heartiest support.'
Stabutch's relief was almost a thing of substance, so considerable and genuine was it. 'You, too, have a grievance against him?' he asked.
'He is a constant threat against my little operations in black ivory,' replied Capietro. 'I should feel much safer if he were out of the way.'
'Then perhaps you will help me, comrade?' inquired Stabutch eagerly.
'I have lost no ape-man,' replied Capietro, 'and if he leaves me alone I shall never look for him. That adventure, comrade, you will not have to share with me.'
'But you have taken away my means of carrying out my plans. I cannot seek Tarzan without a safari,' complained Stabutch.
'That is right,' admitted the raider; 'but perhaps the mistake of my men may be rectified. Your equipment and goods are safe. They will be returned to you, and, as for men, who better could find them for you than Dominic Capietro, who deals in men?'
The safari of Lord Passmore moved northward, skirting the western foothills of the Ghenzi Mountains . His stalwart porters marched almost with the precision of trained soldiers, at least in that proper distances were maintained and there were no stragglers. A hundred yards in advance were three askaris and behind these came Lord Passmore, his gun bearer, and his headman. At the head and rear of the column of porters was a detachment of askaris—well armed, efficient appearing men. The whole entourage suggested intelligent organization and experienced supervision. Evidence of willingly observed discipline was apparent, a discipline that seemed to be respected by all with the possible exception of Isaza, Lord Passmore's 'boy,' who was also his cook.
Isaza marched where his fancy dictated, laughing and joking with first one and then another of the members of the safari—the personification of good nature that pervaded the whole party and that was constantly manifested by the laughter and singing of the men. It was evident that Lord Passmore was an experienced African traveller and that he knew what treatment to accord his followers.
How different, indeed, this well ordered safari, from another that struggled up the steep slopes of the Ghenzies a few miles to the east. Here the column was strung out for fully a mile, the askaris straggling along among the porters, while the two white men whom they accompanied forged far ahead with a single boy and a gun bearer.
'Geeze,' remarked the 'Gunner,' 'you sure picked on a lousy racket! I could of stayed home and climbed up the front of the Sherman Hotel, if I had of wanted to climb, and always been within a spit of eats and drinks.'
'Oh, no you couldn't,' said Lafayette Smith.
'Why not? Who'd a stopped me?'
'Your friends, the cops.'
'That's right; but don't call 'em my friends—the lousy bums. But wherinel do you think you're going?'
'I think I perceive in this mountain range evidences of upthrust by horizontal compression,' replied Lafayette Smith, 'and I wish to examine the surface indications more closely than it is possible to do from a distance. Therefore, we must go to the mountains, since they will not come to us.'
'And what does it get you?' demanded 'Gunner' Patrick. 'Not a buck. It's a bum racket.'
Lafayette Smith laughed good naturedly. They were crossing a meadowland through which a mountain stream wound. Surrounding it was a forest. 'This would make a good camp,' he said, 'from which to work for a few days. You can hunt, and I'll have a look at the formations in the vicinity. Then we'll move on.'
'It's jake with me,' replied the 'Gunner.' 'I'm fed up on climbing.'
'Suppose you remain with the safari and get camp made,' suggested Smith. 'I'll go on up a little farther with my boy and see what I can see. It's early yet.'
'Oke,' assented the 'Gunner.' 'I'll park the mob up near them trees. Don't get lost, and, say, you better take my protection guy with you,' he added, nodding in the direction of his gun bearer.
'I'm not going to hunt,' replied Smith. 'I won't need him.'
'Then take my rod here.' The 'Gunner' started to unbuckle his pistol belt. 'You might need it.'
'Thanks, I have one,' replied Smith, tapping his .32.
'Geeze, you don't call that thing a rod, do you?' demanded the 'Gunner,' contemptuously.
'It's all I need. I'm looking for rocks, not trouble. Come on Obambi,' and he motioned his boy to follow him as he started up the slope toward the higher mountains.
'Geeze,' muttered the 'Gunner,' 'I seen pipies what ain't as much of a nut as that guy; but,' he added, 'he's a regular guy at that. You can't help likin' him.' Then he turned his attention to the selection of a campsite.
Lafayette Smith entered the forest beyond the meadowland; and here the going became more difficult, for the ground rose rapidly; and the underbrush was thick. He fought his way upward, Obambi at his heels; and at last he reached a higher elevation, where the forest growth was much thinner because of the rocky nature of the ground
