'That's not a bad idea,' said Jane. 'Oh, by the way, Tibbs, where's that gun of yours? We really should have it handy.'
'Yes, Milady, right away,' said Tibbs. 'I never travel without it; one can never tell when one is going to need it, and especially in Africa with all these lions and things.'
He located his bag, rummaged through it, and finally located his weapon, which he withdrew gingerly and exhibited not without considerable pride, holding it up where all might see it.
'There she is, Milady,' he said, 'and rather a beauty I fancy, too.'
Jane's heart sank as she looked at the little single shot .22 short pistol that Tibbs dangled before her so proudly.
Brown burst into a loud laugh. 'Say,' he said, 'if the Germans had known you had that, there wouldn't have been no World War.'
'Beg pardon, Mr. Brown,' said Tibbs, stiffly; 'it is really a very fine weapon. The man I got it from said so himself. It stood me back seven bob, sir.'
'Let me see it,' said Brown. Taking the pistol he opened the breech. ''Tain't loaded,' he said, 'and it wouldn't be no good if it was.'
'Bless me, no!' exclaimed Tibbs; 'I wouldn't think of carrying a loaded weapon, sir; it's too dangerous. One never knows when it might go off.'
'Well,' said Jane, 'it may come in handy shooting small game. Got plenty of ammunition for it?'
'Well—er—Milady,' stammered Tibbs, 'you see I've always been intending to buy ammunition for it, but I never got around to it.'
Brown looked at the Englishman in pitying astonishment.
'Well, I'll be—'
Jane sat down on an upended suitcase and burst into laughter. 'Forgive me, Tibbs, but really it's too funny,' she cried.
'I'll tell you what we'll do,' said Brown. 'We'll put Tibbs on guard tonight and if he sees a lion he can throw that thing at him. It ain't any good for nothing else.'
'I don't see how you can laugh, Jane,' said Kitty. ''Suppose a lion should come. Tibbs, you should have brought ammunition. It is very careless of you.'
'It doesn't make any difference, Kitty, for as far as a lion is concerned, that pistol is just as effective empty as it would be loaded.'
'I know we are all going to be killed,' moaned Kitty. 'I wish I were back in the ship; it's much safer there.'
'Don't worry,' said Jane; 'the boma will be some protection, and we will keep a fire going all night. Most beasts are afraid of a fire; they won't come near one.'
Late in the afternoon, a shelter had been completed with two compartments, one for the women and one for the men. It was a very crude affair, but it provided some shelter from the elements and it induced a feeling of security far greater than it warranted, for it is a fact that if we can hide in something, however flimsy, we feel much safer than we do in the open.
While the shelters and boma were being built, lane busied herself with another activity. Kitty had been watching her for some time, and finally her curiosity got the best of her.
'What in the world are you doing, dear?' she asked, as she watched Jane shaping a small branch with the hand axe.
'I am making weapons—a bow and arrows, and a spear.'
'Oh, how perfectly wonder—I mean, isn't it ducky? It's just like you, my dear, to think of archery; it will help us to pass the time away.'
'What I am making will help us obtain food and defend ourselves,' replied Jane.
'Oh, of course!' exclaimed Kitty; 'how perfectly silly of me, but when I think of archery I always think of little arrows sticking in the straw target. They are so colorful, my dear—I mean, the way they are painted. I recall such beautiful pictures of young people in sport clothes, of green turfs, and sunshine against a background of lovely trees. But who do you suppose ever thought of using bows and arrows to hunt game? I'm sure it must be original with you, my dear; but it's very clever of you, if you can hit anything.'
Toward the middle of the afternoon Jane had completed a very crude bow and half a dozen arrows, the tips of which she had fire-hardened.
Her work completed, she stood up and surveyed the camp. 'You are getting along splendidly,' she said. 'I'm going out to see what I can rustle for supper. Have you a knife, Brown? I may need one.'
'But, my dear, I mean you're not going out there alone?' cried Kitty.
'Sure she's not,' said Brown. 'I'll go along with you, Miss.'
'I'm afraid,' said Jane, with a smile, 'that where I am going, you couldn't follow. Here, let me have your knife.'
'I reckon I can go anywhere you can go, Miss,' said Brown, grinning.
'Let me have the knife,' said Jane. 'Why it's a nice big one! I always did like to see a man carrying a man- sized knife.'
'Well, if we are ready,' said Brown, 'let's start.'
Jane shook her head. 'I told you, you couldn't follow me,' she said.
'Want to lay a little bet on that?'
'Sure,' said Jane. 'I'll bet you a pound sterling against this knife that you can't keep up with me for a hundred yards.'
'I'll just take you up on that, Miss,' said Brown; 'let's get going.'
'Come ahead, then,' said Jane. And with that, she ran lightly across the clearing, leaped for a low hanging branch and swinging herself into the trees was out of sight in an instant.
Brown ran after her, seeking to catch a glimpse of her from the ground, but he was soon floundering in heavy undergrowth.
It didn't take him long to realize that he was beaten, and rather crestfallen he returned to the camp.
'Gracious!' exclaimed the princess. 'Did you ever see anything like it? It was perfectly wonderful. I mean, it really was; but I am so afraid something will happen to her out there alone. Alexis, you should not have permitted it.'
'I thought Brown was going with her,' said Alexis. 'If I had known that he was afraid, I would have gone myself.'
Brown eyed Alexis with contempt too deep for words as he returned to his work on the shelter.
'I should think anyone would be afraid to go out there,' said Annette, who was helping Brown thatch the roof with large leaves. 'Lady Greystoke must be so very brave.'
'She's sure got guts,' said Brown; 'and did you see the way she took to them trees? Just like a monkey.'
'Just as though she had lived in them all her life,' said Annette.
'Do you really think she can kill anything with her bow and arrows?' asked Tibbs; 'they look so—er—ah inadequate, if I may make so bold as to say so.'
'Say,' said Brown, 'she's not the kind that would go out there if she didn't know what she was doing. I thought all the time, until just before we crashed, that she was another one of them silly society dames that had never had anything in her noodle heavier than champagne bubbles; but believe me I take my hat off to her now; and you can believe me, when I take orders from a dame she's got to be some dame.'
'Lady Greystoke is a very remarkable woman,' said Alexis, 'and a very beautiful one. Kindly remember also, Brown, that she is a lady, a member of the English nobility, my man; I resent the lack of deference you show by referring to her as a dame, and saying that she has guts. I know you Americans are notoriously ill-bred, but there is a limit to what I can stand from you.'
'Yeah?' inquired Brown; 'and what are you going to do about it, you damned pansy?'
'Alexis, you forget yourself,' said the princess. 'You should not stoop to quarrel with an employee.'
'You're darned tootin', lady,' said Brown. 'He better not stoop to quarrel with this bozo; I'm just laying for an excuse to push in his mush.'
Annette laid a hand upon Brown's arm. 'Please, Mr. Brown,' she said, 'do not quarrel. Is it not bad enough
