"I think I would not tell the others about the snake," said Sborov; "it might frighten Lady Greystoke."
"My word, sir, I don't believe she's afraid of anything, sir."
"Nevertheless, see that you don't mention it," cautioned Alexis.
"Why, here's Mr. Brown now," cried Tibbs. "He's running. Something must have happened."
"What's wrong?" demanded Brown. "I heard someone scream. Was that you, Annette?"
"Annette saw a snake," said Alexis. "Did you not, Annette?"
"Where is it?" asked Brown. "Did you kill it?"
"No," replied the girl, "I had nothing with which to kill it; but if it frightens me again, you will kill it."
"You bet your life I will, girlie. Where is it now?"
"It got away," said Alexis.
Annette looked straight into his eyes. "Next time it will not get away," she said.
Brown's pockets were bulging with fruit which he took out and laid on the ground.
"I hope this ain't poison," he said. "I had a heck of a time getting it. Lady Greystoke will know whether or not we can eat it."
"Here she comes now," said Annette.
"What luck, Jane?" asked Alexis.
"Not so good," she replied, "just a little fruit. I didn't see any game." Her eyes fell on the fruit that Brown had gathered. "Oh, you found the same thing," she said. "Well, it won't taste very good, but it's safe and it's food. I thought I heard a scream a few moments ago. Did any of you hear it?"
"It was Annette," said Brown; "she seen a snake."
Jane laughed. "Oh, before Annette gets out of Africa , she'll be used to snakes."
"Not this one," said the girl.
A puzzled expression crossed Brown's face. He started to speak, and then evidently thinking better of it remained silent.
Not much had been accomplished toward the building of the boma and collecting the firewood; so Jane and Brown lent a hand in the work which moved much more rapidly with the aid of the hand-axe.
It was dark before the work was completed, and then they felt that they could take their ease around the fire that Jane had built.
Jane showed them how they might make the fruit that constituted their sole food supply more palatable by roasting it on the end of a stick. So hungry were they that even Sborov ate without complaining; and as they ate, a pair of eyes watched them from behind the concealing foliage of a nearby tree.
Brown had insisted that the three men assume the duty of guarding the camp; and though Jane and Annette insisted upon doing their share, the pilot was firm in respect to this matter and would not be moved.
"Two hours on and four off won't hurt nobody," he insisted, "and you girls are going to need all the sleep you can get if you're going to keep up with us."
The statement made Jane smile, for she knew that she could endure more than any of them, not excepting Brown; but she appreciated the spirit that animated him; and knowing how jealous men are of their protective prerogative she bowed to his will rather than offend him.
The three men matched coins to determine the order in which they should stand guard.
"I wish you'd let me be a sentry," said Annette.
"No, that ain't no work for a girl," said Brown.
"Oh, please, Neal, just once," she begged. "Oh, please."
"Nothing doing."
"Oh, just one little hour. You are on from two to four, Neal. Wake me at four and let me stand guard until five. Then I will wake the prince. It will be almost morning, anyway."
"Let her do it, if she wants to," said Jane.
"All right," said Brown, "but it ain't goin' to be the regular thing."
All were stretched out around the fire, apparently sleeping, when Tibbs woke Brown for his first tour of duty at eight o'clock.
Tibbs was so exhausted that he was asleep almost as soon as he lay down. Then Annette raised on one elbow and looked around. A moment later she came over and sat down beside Brown.
"You better get back to bed, kid," he said.
"I just wanted to talk with you for a minute, Neal," she said.
"What's on your mind, girlie."
She was silent for a moment. "Oh, nothing in particular," she replied. "I like to be alone with you; that is all."
He put an arm about her and pressed her closer, and thus they sat in silence for a moment before Brown spoke again.
"You know, I've been thinking a lot about that snake business, Annette," he said. "It sounded sort of fishy to me. You sure you wasn't stringin' me?"
"Stringing? I don't know what stringing is."
"Well, skip it. I seen funny looks pass between you and the grand duke when you was handing me that line about snakes. On the level now, kiddo, give me the low-down."
"The low-down?"
"The facts—truth. What was it all about?"
"I am so afraid of him, Neal. Promise me that you won't tell him that I told you. I think of what he did to her; he would do the same to me; he said so."
"What? He said he'd kill you?"
"If I told."
"If you told what?"
"That he had tried to take that piece of coat sleeve away from me."
"That was when you screamed?" he asked.
"Yes."
"I'll get him for that," said Brown.
"Please don't say anything about it; please promise me," she begged. "Only don't leave me alone with him again."
"All right, then," he promised; "but if he ever makes another break like that, I'll sure get him. You needn't be afraid of him."
"I am not afraid when you are with me. I do not know what I should do if it were not for you."
"You like me a little, kid?"
"I like you a great deal, Neal."
He pressed her closer to him. "I guess I like you a lot, too—more than I ever liked anyone else."
She nestled closer to him. "Tell me how much that is," she whispered.
"I'm not much good at saying things like that. I—I—well, you know what I mean."
"I want to hear you say it." He cleared his throat. "Well—I love you, kid."
"And you don't love Lady Greystoke?"
"Eh? What!" he exclaimed. "What put that into your head?"
"He said so; he said that you loved her, and that she loved you."
"The dirty rat! Imagine that dame, the wife of an English viscount, falling for me. That is to laugh."
"But you might—what you call it—fall for her."
"Not on your life, kid; not while I've got you."
She put her arms around his neck and drew him down toward her. "I love you, Neal," she murmured, before their lips met.
They felt that they had the night and the world to themselves, but that was because they were not aware of the silent watcher in the tree above them. She sat with him until he awoke Sborov.
The camp was sleeping soundly when Tibbs finished his tour of duty at two in the morning and called Brown again.
At four Brown hesitated to awaken Annette, but he had given his word that she might stand guard for an hour; so he shook her gently.
"It's four o'clock and all's well," he whispered. Then he kissed her ear. "And now it's better."
She raised herself to an elbow, laughing. "Now you lie down and sleep," she said, "and I'll stand guard."
"I'll sit along with you for awhile," he said.
"No, that was not in the bargain," she insisted. "I want to watch alone. I shall feel very important. Go on, and go to sleep."
Then quiet fell upon the camp—a quiet that was unbroken until Jane awoke after daylight. She sat up and looked about her. No one was on guard. Alexis, who should have been, was fast asleep.
"Come on, sleepy heads," she cried; "it's time to get up."
Brown sat up sleepily and looked around. He saw Alexis just awakening.
"I thought the grand duke was on guard," said Brown. "Did you take his place?"