ty you interfered with that
leopard, Chutney. If Makar Makalo had perished, this revolt might never
have broken out. Makar is at the head of it, I know, and possibly he has
influence behind him. He is an ally of that fanatical despot, Rao Khan,
the Emir of Harar, who hates the English worse than poison, and--"

Guy started at the mention of this name.

"I want to see you a minute, Forbes," he cried excitedly; and, leading
Melton to one side, he pulled out the despatches from his pocket, and
said, "You have come closer to the truth than you imagine. I am going
to confide a secret to you, and you can tell what had best be done.
These papers were intrusted to me for delivery into the hands of Sir
Arthur Ashby, at Zaila, and they contain instructions bearing on the
very matter you have just mentioned. The authorities at the colonial
office in London told me in secret that the Emir of Harar was supposed
to be plotting the capture of Zaila, and these despatches contain Sir
Arthur's orders in case of that emergency."

"By Jove, that explains it!" cried Melton. "The emergency has come. I
see it all. Makar had collected his Arabs and Somalis at Berbera by the
Emir's orders, and they were only waiting the arrival of that villainous
Portuguese with the rifles. They have put the garrison at Berbera out of
the way, and now they will march on to Zaila."

"Then what can be done?" demanded Guy. "Shall we proceed to Zaila, or
get the captain to steam direct for Aden and collect all the available
troops?"

"No, no," groaned Forbes. "That would be useless. Zaila is sixty miles
up the coast. We can beat the Arabs, and get there in time to prepare
the town for defense. The garrison is wretchedly small, but they will
have to hold out until assistance can come from Aden."

Melton was still more astounded when Guy told him of the stealing of the
despatches.

"Then Torres knows their contents," he said, "and he will act
accordingly. This is certainly a bad business, Chutney. Those papers
must be delivered to Sir Arthur as soon as possible, though, to tell the
truth, I fear Zaila is doomed. But we are losing precious time.
Something must be done at once."

They called the captain aside, and told him just enough to impress him
with the danger threatening Zaila, and he readily fell in with their
plans.

Twilight was now falling, and by the time darkness had settled over the
blue waters of the gulf the steamer was plowing her way steadil