Curtis held both hands over his head in the military gesture indicating an order to stop. If he had had a rifle he would have held it, but he had no rifle, which was a pity. He beckoned to Stafford who, after stopping Hunt dead in his tracks, made his way to Curtis in a walking crouch.
Curtis pointed and said in an undertone, 'They've left a man at the boats.' He knew enough not to whisper. Nothing carries further than the sibilants of a whisper.
'Where are the others?'
'Somewhere up the hill. I heard voices.'
Stafford turned his head and gestured to Hardin who crept over. 'There's a guard on the boats,' he said. 'And Nair hasn't decoyed Brice away yet. They're still within hearing distance so they can probably see the boats.'
'Tricky,' said Hardin.
'Would the Colonel like the guard removed?' asked Curtis.
'How would you do it?'
Curtis indicated the water glimmering through the trees. 'Swimming.'
'Goddamn!' said Hardin. 'What about crocodiles?'
'I'd poison a crocodile,' said Curtis solemnly and without the trace of a smile.
'I don't know,' said Stafford uncertainly.
'I've been watching the water's edge from the ridge,' said Curtis. 'I haven't seen any crocodiles." He was already taking off his shoes.
'Well, all right.' said Stafford. 'But you go when I say; and you incapacitate – you don't kill.'
'I doubt if we'd get trouble if he did,' said Hardin. 'We've proved our point and the Kenyans aren't going to be worried about a dead South African agent.'
'Ben, that man there could be an innocent Kenyan brought along just to drive the boat. We can't take that chance.' Stafford went back to Hunt. 'When you answer keep your voice down. Any crocs in the lake ?'
Hunt nodded. 'Usually further north around the papyrus swamp.'
'And here?'
'Could be.'
Stafford frowned. 'We might be making a break for the boats in a few minutes. You follow us and your job is to get an engine started. You do that and you don't bother about anything else. We'll know when you've succeeded. And we want to take all the boats so we take two in tow.'
'I'll start the engine in my own boat,' said Hunt. 'I know it best. It's the chase boat we use when the balloon blows over the lake.'
Stafford nodded and went back to Curtis who had taken off his trousers and was flexing a leather belt in his hands. 'Where's Ben?' Curtis silently pointed up the hill to the right.
Presently Hardin came back. 'They're still yakking away up there. I couldn't get close enough to hear what they're saying.'
'Can they see the jetty from where they are?'
'I reckon so.'
That was not good, thought Stafford. Only if Nair could decoy Brice away would they stand a chance. Normally he would have sent Curtis off by now to take out the guard at a signal, but the longer he was in the water the greater the risk, and he would not do that. The only thing to do was to wait for an opportunity.
It came sooner than he expected in the form of a distant shout. He said to Curtis, 'Go! Go!' and Curtis slipped quietly into the water to disappear leaving only a lengthening trail of bubbles. There were more shouts and the man in the boat stood up to get a better view.
Stafford, lurking behind a screen of leaves, followed the direction of his gaze but saw nothing until Hardin nudged him. 'Look! Nair and Gunnarsson are on the run over there.'
Gunnarsson and Nair were sprinting desperately, angling down the slope away from the jetty with Gunnarsson in the lead, and Patterson and a black came in sight in full chase. Then Brice and Hendriks appeared. Brice threw up his arm and he and Hendriks changed direction, running down to the shore on the other side of the jetty. They all vanished from sight.
'Now!' said Stafford, and broke cover to run towards the jetty a hundred yards away, and was conscious of Hardin and Hunt behind him. The guard heard the crunch of their feet and turned in some alarm. He froze for a moment when he saw them and was about to turn back to shout for help when something seemed to tangle his feet and he toppled overboard with a splash.
Stafford ran up and jumped into the boat. He leaned over the side. 'Come on, Sergeant,' he said and took Curtis's arm to help him aboard. Hardin had seized an oar and was pushing the boat away from the jetty and from Hunt's boat there came a splutter as the engine balked. Stafford left Curtis gasping on the floor boards and was just in time to grab the painter of the third boat. He fastened it to a cleat and then had time to look around. gt;
Hunt was rewinding the starter cord on his outboard engine and Stafford said harshly, 'Get that bloody thing started.' He was thinking of Nair. Hardin had pushed off vigorously with the oar and the boats were now drifting about ten yards offshore where the guard was standing dripping wet and already raising an outcry. Stafford looked along the shore line and saw Brice and Hendriks turn to look back.
Hunt's engine caught with a stuttering roar, then settled down to an even purr. Stafford shouted, 'Further out and then go south – after Nair.' The note of the engine deepened and the small convoy increased in speed. He bent down to Curtis, 'You all right, Sergeant?'
'Yes, sir. Nothing wrong with me.'
Hardin was staring at the shore. 'Brice looks mad enough to bust a gut.'
Brice and Hendriks had stopped and were motionless, looking at the boats which were now a hundred yards away and moving parallel with the coast. Brice said something to Hendriks and they began to run again. Stafford said, 'Where are Nair and Gunnarsson?'
'Should be on the other side of that point there, if they haven't been caught.'
Stafford raised his voice and shouted to Hunt in the lead boat. 'Open that thing up! Get a bloody move on!'
Curtis had got up and was in the stern, already starting the engine of their own boat. Hardin hauled on the painter of the other boat to bring it alongside, then he jumped in. One by one the other engines started and Stafford cast off the boats so they could operate independently. He said to Curtis, 'Cut in close to the point. I'll watch for rocks.' He signalled to the others that he was taking the lead.
'Hey!' shouted Hardin, and pointed ashore, and Stafford saw that Patterson was in sight but had fallen. He tried to get up but collapsed when he put weight on his leg. Curtis grunted. 'Broke his ankle with a bit of luck, sir.'
Nair thought his lungs would burst. He risked a glance backwards and saw the black about twenty yards behind – and no one else. Ahead Gunnarsson was running steadily but slowing. Nair got enough breath to shout, 'Gunnarsson! Help!' and stopped to face his pursuer.
Luke Maiyani was taken by surprise. The prey was supposed to run, not stand and fight against odds. By the time he had come to this conclusion he was within five yards of Nair so he also came to a halt and looked back expecting to see Patterson but there was no one in sight. It was this small hesitation that cost him a broken jaw because Nair picked up a rock in his fist and when Maiyani turned to look at him again Nair swung with all the force he could. There was a crunch and Maiyani dropped in his tracks.
Nair turned and found that Gunnarsson was still running along the shore. He stood there with his chest heaving and became aware of shouting from offshore. He looked out at the lake and saw three boats coming in with Stafford in the bows of the leading boat waving vigorously. Behind, Hardin was pointing with urgency and he turned his head and saw Brice and Hendriks just rounding the point.
Without further hesitation he ran for the water and the approaching boats. He was splashing through the shallows when Hendriks pulled out a gun with a long barrel and took careful aim. There was no report but Nair staggered and fell. He rolled over in die water until it was deep enough to support him and started to swim, striking out with his arms and using one leg.