My God, he thought, I’m ogling her like a matelot on shore leave.
He hurriedly transferred his attention back to Boussier, but his throat felt constricted as he asked: “How many are you?”
“There are forty-two of us, of which five are women and two are children.” Bruce nodded, it was what he had expected. The women could ride in one of the covered
coaches. He turned and surveyed the railway yard.
“Is there a turntable on which we can revolve the locomotive?” he asked Boussier.
“No, Captain.” They would have to reverse all the way back to
Msapa Junction, another complication. It would be more difficult to keep a watch on the tracks ahead, and it would mean a sooty and uncomfortable journey.
“What precautions have you taken against attack, monsieur?”
“They are inadequate, Captain,” Boussier admitted. “I have not sufficient men to defend the town - most of the population left before the emergency. Instead I have posted sentries on all the approaches and I
have fortified the hotel to the best of my ability. It was there we intended to stand in the event of attack.” Bruce nodded again and glanced up at the sun. It was already reddening as it dropped towards the horizon, perhaps another hour or two of daylight.
“Monsieur, it is too late to entrain all your people and leave before nightfall. I intend to load their possessions this evening. We will stay overnight and leave in the early morning.) “We are all anxious to be away from this place; we have twice seen large parties of
Baluba on the edge of the jungle.”
“I understand,” said Bruce. “But
the dangers of travelling by night exceed those of waiting another twelve hours.”
“The decision is yours,” Boussier agreed. “What do you wish us to do now?”
“Please see to the embarkation of your people. I
regret that only the most essential possessions may be entertained.
We wil be almost a hundred persons.”
“I shall see to that myself,” Boussier assured him, “and then?”
“Is that the hotel?” Bruce pointed across the street at one of the large double-storeyed buildings. It was only two hundred yards from where they stood.
“Yes, Captain.” “Good,” said Bruce. “It is close enough. Your people can spend the night there in more comfort than aboard the train.” He looked at the girl again; she was watching him with a small smile on her face. It was a smile of almost maternal amusement, as though she were watching a little boy playing at soldiers. Now it was
Bruce’s turn to feel annoyed. He was suddenly embarrassed by his uniform and epaulettes, by the pistol at his hip, the automatic rifle across his shoulder and the heavy helmet on his head.
“I will require someone who is familiar with the area to accompany me, I want to inspect your defences,” he said to Boussier.
“Madame Cartier could show you,” suggested Boussier’s wife artlessly. I wonder if she noticed our little exchange, thought Bruce.
Of course she did. All women have a most sensitive nose for that sort of thing.
“Will you go with the captain, Shermaine?” asked Madame Boussier.
“As the captain wishes.” She was still smiling.
“That is settled then,” said Bruce gruffly. “I will meet you at the hotel in ten minutes, after I have made arrangements here.” He
turned back to Boussier. “You may proceed with the embarkation, monsieur.” Bruce left them and went back to the train.
“Hendry,” he shouted, “you and de Surrier will stay on board. We are not leaving until the morning but these people are going to. load their stuff now. In the meantime rig the searchlights to sweep both sides of the track and make sure the Brens are properly sited.” Hendry grunted an acknowledgement without looking at Bruce.
“Mike, take ten men with you and go to the hotel. I want you there in case of trouble during the night.”
“Okay, Bruce.”
“Ruffy.”
“Take a gang and help the driver refuel.”
“Okay, boss.
Hey, boss!”
“Yes.” Bruce turned to him.
“When you go to the hotel, have a look-see maybe they got some beer up there. We’re just about fresh out.”
“I’ll keep it in mind.”
“Thanks, boss.” Ruffy looked relieved. “I’d hate like hell to die of thirst in this hole.” The townsfolk were streaming back towards the hotel.
The girl Shermaine walked with the Boussiers, and Bruce heard
Hendry’s voice above him.
“Jesus, look what that pretty has got in her pants. What ever it is, one thing is sure: it’s round and it’s in two pieces, and those pieces move like they don’t belong to each other.”
“You haven’t any work to do Hendry?” Bruce asked harshly.
“What’s wrong, Curry?” Hendry jeered down at him. “You got plans yourself? Is that it, Bucko?” “She’s married,” said Bruce, and immediately was surprised that he had said it.
“Sure,” laughed Hendry. “All the best ones are married; that don’t mean a thing, not a bloody thing.”
“Get on with your work,” snapped Bruce, and then to Haig, “Are you ready? Come with me then.”
When they reached the hotel Boussier was waiting for them on the open verandah. He led Bruce aside and spoke quietly.
“Monsieur, I don’t wish to be an alarmist but I have received some most disturbing news. There are brigands armed with modern weapons raiding down from the north.
The last reports state that they had sacked Senwati Mission about
three hundred kilometres north of here.”
“Yes,” Bruce nodded, “I know about them. We heard on the radio.”
“Then you will have realized that they can be expected to arrive here very soon.”
“I don’t see them arriving before tomorrow afternoon; by then we should be well on our way to Msapa Junction.”
“I hope you are right, Monsieur. The atrocities committed by this General Moses at Senwati are beyond the conception of any normal mind. He appears to bear an almost pathological hatred for all people of European descent.” Boussier hesitated before going on. “There were a dozen white nuns at Senwati.
I have heard that they-“
“Yes,” Bruce interrupted him quickly; he did not want to listen to it. “I can imagine. Try and prevent these stories circulating amongst your people. I don’t want to have them panic.”
“Of course,” Boussier nodded.
“Do you know what force this General Moses commands?” “It is not more than a hundred men but, as I have said, they are all armed with modern weapons. I have even heard that they have with them a cannon of some description, though I think this unlikely. They are travelling in a convoy of stolen vehicles and at Senwati they captured a gasoline tanker belonging to the commercial oil c omparues.
“I see,” mused Bruce. “But it doesn’t alter my decision to remain here overnight. However, we must leave at first light tomorrow.”
“As you wish, Captain.”
“Now, monsieur,” Bruce changed the subject, “I
require some form of transport. Is that car in running order?” He
pointed at a pale green Ford Ranchero station wagon parked beside the verandah wall.
“It is. It belongs to my company.” Boussier took a key ring from his pocket and handed it to Bruce. “Here are the keys.
The tank is full of gasoline.” “Good,” said Bruce. “Now if we can find Madame Cartier. ” She was waiting in the hotel lounge and she stood up as Bruce and Boussier came in.
“Are you ready, madame?”
“I await your pleasure,” she answered, and Bruce looked at her sharply. just a trace of a twinkle in her dark blue eyes suggested that she was aware of the double meaning. They walked out to the Ford and Bruce opened the door for her.
“You are gracious, monsieur.” She thanked him and slid It into the seat. Bruce went round to the driver’s side and climbed in beside her.