And if /they/ had known----"
"Mad!" interrupted Brother John, tapping his forehead, "quite mad,
poor fellow! Well, in these depressing circumstances it is not
wonderful."
I inspected Hans again, for I agreed with John. Yet he did not look
mad, only rather more cunning than usual.
"Hans," I said, "tell us where this rifle is, or I will knock you down
and Mavovo shall flog you."
"Where, Baas! Why, cannot you see it when it is before your eyes?"
"You are right, John," I said, "he's off it"; but Stephen sprang at
Hans and began to shake him.
"Leave go, Baas," he said, "or you may hurt the rifle."
Stephen obeyed in sheer astonishment. Then, oh! then Hans did
something to the end of his great bamboo stick, turned it gently
upside down and out of it slid the barrel of a rifle neatly tied round
with greased cloth and stoppered at the muzzle with a piece of tow!
I could have kissed him. Yes, such was my joy that I could have kissed
that hideous, smelly old Hottentot.
"The stock?" I panted. "The barrel isn't any use without the stock,
Hans.
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