Lion Adventure by Willard Price

Author:Willard Price [Price, Willard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-10-10T02:19:42+00:00

Chapter 12

The knife

On the way back to the balloon, Hal and Roger had to go through the patch of woodland.

As they walked through the half-dark of the big trees, they heard the rustle of bare feet in the leaves behind them. They turned to face Basa.

This time the powerful young black carried no bow and arrow. Hal hoped it meant that Basa had decided to be more friendly. His hope was dashed when Basa drew a murderous-looking long-bladed bush-knife from its sheath.

‘Now I have you where I want you,’ he said with a sinister smile. ‘No one will disturb us here. Now you will pay.’

‘Basa,’ Hal said, ‘can’t we forget all this and be friends? We are sorry for what happened to your father, but we were not to blame.’

‘You killed him,’ Basa retorted. ‘And then there is what happened today. You allowed your lion to kill another of our men.’

‘What do you mean, our lion?’ put in Roger hotly. ‘You talk as if we sent him.’

‘The man who was killed was one of the chief elders of our village. It was your job to protect him and all others from man-eaters.’

Roger was about to reply angrily but Hal checked him. ‘No use losing our tempers,’ he said. ‘Basa, there is truth in what you say. So far we have failed to catch the black-maned one. But we have done what we could. Didn’t we come this morning to help you drive out the elephants?’

‘Yes, you saved a few cabbages and yams. But what are they compared with a man’s life? Enough talk. Defend yourself.’

‘One more word before you do something foolish,’ said Hal. ‘Do I have to remind you that we have guns?’

‘I know you have guns,’ Basa said contemptuously. ‘White men are cowards - they are afraid to fight without guns. As for me, this will do.’ A ray of sun through the trees struck his two-foot blade and made it glow like fire.

Hal gave up. The only way to get sense into this young hothead was to beat it in. He wasn’t sure he could do it, but he would have to give it a try. He took out his revolver and dropped it into the grass. Roger took out his gun and held on to it.

‘Drop it,’ Hal said. ‘And keep out of this.’ Roger dropped his gun.

Basa, though surprised to see his enemies get rid of their weapons just before a fight, showed no inclination to give up his own. He leaped forward and slashed with such power that this blow alone could have separated head from body if Hal had not ducked.

The knife had not yet completed its swing before Hal’s right fist went up to the black man’s chin and his left went straight for his solar plexus.

This double play should have staggered any ordinary man, but Basa was not ordinary. He came on again with a downsweep of his blade that should split a head in two. Hal was not there when it arrived.

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