ention it, if you
like. I have to see the adjutant in a few minutes."

Wilmshurst found the adjutant in his "office," which consisted of three
walls of piled ammunition boxes, with a double covering of canvas. The
furniture was composed of a desk (an upturned packing-case) and a
couple of chairs (smaller dittos) the former being littered with
official forms and papers, for even in the wilds of Africa the British
Army cannot dispense with red-tape formalities.

"Mornin', Mr. Wilmshurst," was the adjutant's greeting as he returned
the subaltern's salute. "Want to see you with reference to that report
of yours, don't you know. Take a pew. You'll find that case pretty
comfortable, and come in out of the sun. Look here: from your report I
understand that a warning shot was fired, but not by any of ours. Is
that so?"

Wilmshurst paused. The adjutant was quick to notice his hesitation.

"Come, come!" he continued sharply. "Do you suspect any one? If so,
out with it. We can't stand on sentiment in matters of this
description, don't you know."

"Are you aware, sir, that MacGregor left camp shortly after we left
camp and has not returned?"

"Hasn't he, by Jove!" exclaimed the adjutant. "Well, what about it?
Has that anything to do with the case in point?"

"I hope not, sir," answered the subaltern, "but--but----"

"Proceed," urged his questioner calmly.

Wilmshurst, seeing no other course, boldly took his plunge, stating his
views upon the connection between the scout's disappearance and the
timely warning received by the retiring enemy, producing as evidence
the rimmed cartridge case, which by reason of its shape and calibre
could not be fired from a Mauser rifle.

"Dash it all!" exclaimed the adjutant explosively. "What sort of
reptile have we been harbouring? I'm afraid that what steps we take
concerning him will be locking the stable door after the horse has
gone."

"We arc working simply in conjecture, sir," observed the subaltern.
"He may be all right, after all."

"Conjecture, confound it!" shouted the other. "What d'you call this?"
holding up the cartridge case. "If it isn't circumstantial evidence,
what is?"

At that moment an orderly put in an appearance. "Macgreg him horse am
come back, sah," he reported, saluting.

The adjutant, picking up a sheaf of papers and putting on his
sun-helmet, hurried to the lines where the horses were picketed,
Wilmshurst following and the orderly bringi