"Sir," he said, "I do not seek
filthy lucre. What I mean is that I am afraid you will be killed by
these Pongo, and, alas! although I love you, sir, I am too great a
coward to come and be killed with you, for God made me like that. I
pray you not to go, Mr. Quatermain, because I repeat, I love you,
sir."
"I believe you do, my good fellow," I answered, "and I also am afraid
of being killed, who only seem to be brave because I must. However, I
hope we shall come through all right. Meanwhile, I am going to give
this box and all the gold in it, of which there is a great deal, into
your charge, Sammy, trusting to you, if anything happens to us, to get
it safe back to Durban if you can."
"Oh! Mr. Quatermain," he exclaimed, "I am indeed honoured, especially
as you know that once I was in jail for--embezzlement--with
extenuating circumstances, Mr. Quatermain. I tell you that although I
am a coward, I will die before anyone gets his fingers into that box."
"I am sure that you will, Sammy my boy," I said. "But I hope, although
things look queer, that none of us will be called upon to die just
yet.
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