vernment would claim the whole
district the minute the secret was out. Their plan may possibly be to
wait until a boundary dispute arises in the ordinary course of time
(keeping a cautious eye on the cache meanwhile, of course) and then
take the Congo government side. If they can contrive to have it
acknowledged as Congo territory, they might then pick a quarrel with
the Congo government--or come to some sort of terms with them."

"They've patience," I said, "if they're playing that game!"

Courtney raised his eyebrows until his forehead was a mass of deep
wrinkles. Then he blew a dozen smoke rings.

"Patient--perhaps. It's my impression they're as remorseless and
persistent as white ants--undermining, digging, devouring everywhere
while the rest of the world sleeps. Do you remember there was a mutiny
of native troops in Uganda not many years ago? Some said that was
because the troops were being paid in truck instead of money, and like
most current excuses that one had some truth in it. But the men
themselves vowed they were going to set up an African Muhammedan
empire."

"What had that to do with Germans?" asked Fred.

"Nothing that I can personally prove" said Courtney. "But I've a broad
acquaintance among natives, and considerable knowledge of their
tongues. Muhammedanism is spreading among them very rapidly. Over and
over again, beside camp-fires, and in the dark when they thought I was
not listening, I have heard them talk of missionaries from German
territory who spread a doctrine of what you might call pan-Islam for
lack of a better name. I said at the time of the Uganda mutiny that I
believed Germans were behind it. I've seen no reason to change my
opinion since. It's obvious that if the mutiny had by some ill chance
succeeded Uganda would have been an easy prey for Karl Peters and his
Germans. If that ivory of Tippoo Tib's is really in the Bahr el Gazal
at the back of Uganda, then the German motive for stirring up the
Uganda mutiny would be obvious."

"But doesn't our government know all this?" demanded Fred.

"That depends on what you mean by the word know," answered Courtney.
"I've made no secret of my own opinion!"

"But they wouldn't listen?"

"Some did, some didn't. The Home government--which was the India
Office in those days--took no notice whatever. One or two men out here
believed, but I think they're dead. When the Foreign Office took the
country over I don't suppose they o