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the second day we landed upon the west bank of the river； and； leaving
Snider and Thirty…six to guard Victory and the launch； Delcarte； Taylor；
and I set out after game。
We tramped away from the river for upwards of an hour before
discovering anything； and then only a small red deer； which Taylor
brought down with a neat shot of two hundred yards。 It was getting too
late to proceed farther； so we rigged a sling； and the two men carried the
deer back toward the launch while I walked a hundred yards ahead； in the
hope of bagging something further for our larder。
We had covered about half the distance to the river； when I suddenly
came face to face with a man。 He was as primitive and uncouth in
appearance as the Grabritinsa shaggy； unkempt savage； clothed in a shirt
of skin cured with the head on； the latter surmounting his own head to
form a bonnet； and giving to him a most fearful and ferocious aspect。
The fellow was armed with a long spear and a club； the latter dangling
down his back from a leathern thong about his neck。 His feet were
incased in hide sandals。
At sight of me； he halted for an instant； then turned and dove into the
forest； and； though I called reassuringly to him in English he did not return
nor did I again see him。
The sight of the wild man raised my hopes once more that elsewhere
we might find men in a higher state of civilizationit was the society of
civilized man that I cravedand so； with a lighter heart； I continued on
toward the river and the launch。
I was still some distance ahead of Delcarte and Taylor； when I came in
sight of the Rhine again。 But I came to the water's edge before I noticed
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that anything was amiss with the party we had left there a few hours
before。
My first intimation of disaster was the absence of the launch from its
former moorings。 And then； a moment later I discovered the body of a
man lying upon the bank。 Running toward it； I saw that it was Thirty…six；
and as I stopped and raised the Grabritin's head in my arms； I heard a faint
moan break from his lips。 He was not dead； but that he was badly injured
was all too evident。
Delcarte and Taylor came up a moment later； and the three of us
worked over the fellow； hoping to revive him that he might tell us what
had happened； and what had become of the others。 My first thought was
prompted by the sight I had recently had of the savage native。 The little
party had evidently been surprised； and in the attack Thirty…six had been
wounded and the others taken prisoners。 The thought was almost like a
physical blow in the faceit stunned me。 Victory in the hands of these
abysmal brutes！ It was frightful。 I almost shook poor Thirty…six in my
efforts to revive him。
I explained my theory to the others； and then Delcarte shattered it by a
single movement of the hand。 He drew aside the lion's skin that covered
half of the Grabritin's breast； revealing a neat； round hole in Thirty…six's
chest a hole that could have been made by no other weapon than a rifle。
〃Snider！〃 I exclaimed。 Delcarte nodded。 At about the same time the
eyelids of the wounded man fluttered； and raised。 He looked up at us； and
very slowly the light of consciousness returned to his eyes。
〃What happened； Thirty…six？〃 I asked him。
He tried to reply； but the effort caused him to cough； bringing about a
hemorrhage of the lungs and again he fell back exhausted。 For several
long minutes he lay as one dead； then in an almost inaudible whisper he
spoke。
〃Snider〃 He paused； tried to speak again； raised a hand； and
pointed down…river。 〃Theywentback；〃 and then he shuddered
convulsively and died。
None of us voiced his belief。 But I think they were all alike： Victory
and Snider had stolen the launch； and deserted us。
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7
We stood there； grouped about the body of the dead Grabritin；
looking futilely down the river to where it made an abrupt curve to the
west； a quarter of a mile below us； and was lost to sight； as though we
expected to see the truant returning to us with our precious launchthe
thing that meant life or death to us in this unfriendly； savage world。
I felt； rather than saw； Taylor turn his eyes slowly toward my profile；
and； as mine swung to meet them； the expression upon his face recalled
me to my duty and responsibility as an officer。
The utter hopelessness that was reflected in his face must have been
the counterpart of what I myself felt； but in that brief instant I determined
to hide my own misgivings that I might bolster up the courage of the
others。
〃We are lost！〃 was written as plainly upon Taylor's face as though his
features were the printed words upon an open book。 He was thinking of
the launch； and of the launch alone。 Was I？ I tried to think that I was。
But a greater grief than the loss of the launch could have engendered in me；
filled my hearta sullen； gnawing misery which I tried to denywhich I
refused to admitbut which persisted in obsessing me until my heart rose
and filled my throat； and I could not speak when I would have uttered
words of reassurance to my companions。 And then rage came to my
reliefrage against the vile traitor who had deserted three of his fellow
countrymen in so frightful a position。 I tried to feel an equal rage against
the woman； but somehow I could not； and kept searching for excuses for
herher youth； her inexperience； her savagery。
My rising anger swept away my temporary helplessness。 I smiled；
and told Taylor not to look so glum。
〃We will follow them；〃 I said； 〃and the chances are that we shall
overtake them。 They will not travel as rapidly as Snider probably hopes。
He will be forced to halt for fuel and for food； and the launch must follow