CHAPTER XV
CAPTAIN VILLAIRE'S LITTLE PLOT
Dick was right: the boy in the reading-room' was indeed Dan Baxter,but so changed in appearance that for the minute neither Tom norSam recognized him.
In the past Baxter had always been used to fine clothing, which hehad taken care should be in good repair. Now his clothing wasdilapidated and his shoes looked as if they were about ready tofall apart.
More than this, his face was hollow and careworn, and one eyelooked as if it had suffered severe blow of some sort. Altogetherhe was most wretched-looking specimen of humanity, and it was awonder that he was allowed at the hotel. But the truth of thematter was that he had told the proprietor a long tale ofsufferings in the interior and of a delayed remittance from home,and the hotel keeper was keeping him solely on this account.
"How he is changed!" muttered Tom. "He looks like a regulartramp!"
"He's been in hard luck, that's certain," came from Sam. "Iwonder how he drifted out here?"
While Sam was speaking Dan Baxter raised his eyes from thenewspaper and glanced around. As his gaze fell upon the threeRover boys he started and the paper fell to the floor, then he gotup and strode toward them.
"Dick Rover!" he cried. "Where did you fellows come from?"
"From Putnam Hall, Baxter," answered Dick quietly. "And whatbrought you here?"
Ordinarily Dan Baxter would have retorted that that was none ofDick's business, but now he was in thoroughly low spirits, and heanswered meekly:
"I've been playing in hard luck. I went down to New York and onenight when I was in a sailors' boarding house I drank more thanwas good for me, and when I woke up in the morning I found myselfon a vessel bound for Africa."
"You were shanghaied as a sailor?" asked Tom.
"That's it, and while I was on board the Costelk the captain andmate treated me worse than a dog. See that eye? The captain didthat, and when I struck back he put me in irons and fed me nothingbut stale biscuits and water."
"And the ship left you here?"
"No; she was bound for Cape Town, but stopped here for supplies,and I jumped overboard at night and swam ashore, and here I am,and sorry for it," and Dan Baxter drew a long breath.
The Rovers were astonished at his meek manner. Was this reallythe domineering Baxter, who had always insisted on having his ownway, and who had done so many wrong deeds in the past?
"You've had a hard time of it, I suppose? said Dick, hardlyknowing how to go on.
"Hard, Dick, aint no word," came from the former bully of PutnamHall. "I've run up against the worst luck that anybody could everimagine. But I reckon you don't care about that?"
"Do you think we ought to care, Baxter?"
"Well, it aint fair to take advantage of a chap when he's down onhis luck," grumbled the former bully. "I guess I've learnt mylesson all right enough."
"Do you mean to say you are going to turn over a new leaf?"queried Sam with interest.
"Yes, if I ever get the chance."
Randolph Rover now joined the group, and Dick explained thesituation. Mr. Rover questioned Baxter closely and found that hewas without a cent in his pocket and that the hotel keeper hadthreatened to put him out if he was not able to pay up inside ofthe next twenty-four hours.
"See here, Baxter, you never were my friend, and you neverdeserved any good from me, but I don't like to see a dog suffer,"said Dick. "I'll give you thirty shillings, and that will helpyou along a little," and he drew out his purse.
"And I'll give you the same," came from Tom.
"Ditto from me," said Sam. "But don't forget that what Dick saysis true, nevertheless."
Ninety English shillings--about twenty-two dollars of our money--wasmore cash than Dan Baxter had seen in some time, his othermoney having been spent before he had taken his unexpected oceantrip, and his eyes brightened up wonderfully.
"I'll be much obliged to you for the--the loan," he stammered."I'll pay you back some time, remember."
"Never mind about that," replied Dick.
"My advice to you is, to take the first ship you can for home."
"And what brought you out here--going on a hunt for yourfather?"
"Yes."
"You'll have a big job finding him. I understand the natives ofthe Congo are going on the warpath before long. They have hadsome difficulty with the settlers."
"I guess we'll manage to take care of ourselves," answered Tom,and then he and his brothers followed their uncle up to the roomswhich had been engaged for them during their stay in the town.
"He's, down in the mouth, and no mistake," was Tom's comment, whenthe boys were left to themselves. "I never saw him so humblebefore."
"Perhaps knocking around has taught him a lesson," said Dick. "Ihope he really does turn over a new leaf."
The day proved to be a busy one. Randolph Rover gathered all theinformation he could concerning the trail along the Congo, andalso tried to locate Niwili Camp. He likewise purchased severaladditions to his outfits from Simon Hook, and engaged the servicesof several natives, the leader of whom was a brawny black namedCujo, a fellow who declared that he knew every foot of theterritory to be covered and who said he was certain that he couldlocate King Susko sooner or later.
"Him bad man," he said soberly. "No et him catch you, or yousuffer big lot!" Cujo took to Aleck from the start, and the pairsoon became warm friends. The African inspected their outfitswith interest and offered several suggestions regarding additionalpurchases.
Three days were spent in Boma, and during that time the Rovers sawa good deal of Dan Baxter, who, having nothing better to do, hungaround them continually. He remained as meek as before, but ourfriends did not know that this was merely the meekness of a savagecur while under the whip. Baxter was naturally a brute, andlacked the backbone necessary far genuine reformation.
"Say, why can't you take me with you?" he asked, on the day thatthe Rover expedition was to start out. "I'm willing to do myshare of the work and the fighting, and I won't charge you a centfor my service."
"I don't know as my uncle wants anybody along," said Sam, to whomBaxter addressed his remarks.
"Well, won't you speak to him about it, Sam? I can't findanything to do here, and the captains to whom I've applied don'twant me on their ships," pleaded the former bully of Putnam Hall.
Sam was easily touched at all times, and he knew that Baxter mustfeel lonely and wretched so far from home and without friends orcapital. He at once went to his brothers and his uncle and laidthe big youth's proposition before them.
"We don't want him," said Dick promptly.
"I don't believe he would be of any use to us."
"I would rather give him some more money just for him to staybehind," added Tom.
Mr. Rover was thoughtful for a moment.
"And what do you say, Sam?" he asked at length.
"Well, I don't like Baxter any more than the others do. But itseems awfully hard on him. I don't believe he knows how to turn."
"We might give him enough money to get back to the United Stateswith."
"I'd rather have you do that, Uncle Randolph," said Dick. "Idon't want him with me."
"I will have a talk with the misguided boy," was the conclusionreached by Randolph Rover; but he got no chance to speak to DanBaxter until late in the afternoon, and then, to his astonishment,Baxter's manner had changed entirely, he intimating that he wantednothing more to do with them.
For in the meantime something which was bound to be of greatimportance to the Rovers had occurred. In Boma were a number ofpersons of mixed French and native blood who were little betterthan the old-time brigands of Italy. They were led by a wickedwretch who went by the name of Captain Villaire. Villaire hadbeen watching the Rovers for two days when he noticed the coldnesswhich seemed to exist between, our friends and Baxter. At once hethrew himself in Baxter's way and began to it pump the youthregarding the Americans.
"Zay are going into the interior, you h
ave remarked," he said invery bad English. "Are zay verra rich people?"
"Yes, they are well fixed," answered the tall youth.
"And zay do carry zare money wid zem?"
"I guess not--at least, not much of it."
"You are zare friend, eh?"
"Hardly. Out in America we were enemies."
"So? You hata zem?"
"Yes, I hate them," muttered Dan, and his eyes shone wickedly."I'm only treating them in a friendly way now because I'm out ofmoney and must do something."
"I see. It ees a good head you have--verra good," murmuredCaptain Villaire. "Do you know, I heara dem talk about you?"
"Did you? What did they say?"
"De one boy say you should be in ze jail; didn't you robbasomebody."
"He had better keep his mouth shut."
"You lika do somet'ing wid me?" continued the French native,closing one eye suggestively. He was a close reader of humannature and had read Baxter's character as if it was an open book.
"What do you mean?"
"We gitta dem people into trouble--maka big lot of money."
"All right--I'll do anything," answered Baxter savagely. "Sothey said I ought to be in jail, eh? I'll fix 'em yet!"
"You helpa me, I helpa you," went on the wily French native.
He had his plan all ready, and, after sounding Baxter some more,revealed what was in his mind, which was simply to follow theRovers into the interior and then make them prisoners. Once thiswas done, they would hold the prisoners for a handsome ransom.
"That's a big job," answered the big youth. "But I like yourplan, first-rate if you can carry it out."
"Trust me," replied Captain Villaire. "I have half a dozen of zebest of killowers-za, nevair fail me. But as you knowa dem youwill have to do ze lettair writing for us, so zat we git ze moneyfrom zare people at home."
"Trust me for that," responded Baxter quickly. The plot pleasedhim immensely. "You do the capturing and I'll make Mrs. Rover orsomebody else pay up handsomely, never fear."
And so a compact was formed which was to give the Rovers a gooddeal of trouble in the near future.