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Who?" asked Sebastian.
"The elephant, you idiot. For the first time I had him cold. And then... Yeow! What the hell are you doing?"
"I'm trying to get the thorn out, Fly
"Feels like you're trying to knock it in with a hammer."
"I can't get a grip on it."
"Use your teeth. That's the only way," Fly
"You think I'm a goddamned contortionist?"
"Mohammed?" Sebastian's eyes lit up with relief as he turned on the little gun-bearer. In answer to. the question Mohammed drew back his lips in a death's head grin, exposing his smooth, pink toothless gums. "Yes," agreed
180 Sebastian. "I see what you mean." He returned his gaze to the foot, and studied it with sickened fascination His adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.
"Get on with it," said Fly
There was a howl from Fly
Sebastian took a big swallow and as he brought the bottle to his lips again, Fly
It seemed to refuel Fly
he searched for some atrocity to commit upon Herman Fleischer, and suddenly he found one. "My God!" he said, and his scowl changed to a lovely smile. "That's it!"
"What?" Sebastian was alarmed. He was certain that he would be selected as the vehicle of Fly
he repeated.
"We will go..." said Fly
"Good Lord, that's the German headquarters!"
"Yes," said Fly
"They hit Mahenge two hours before dawn, in that time of utter darkness when mankind's vitality is at its lowest ebb. The defence put up by the corporal and five Askari whom Fleischer had left to guard his headquarters was hardly heroic. In fact, they were only half awakened by the lusty and indiscriminate use of Fly
There was only one casualty. It was, of course, Sebastian Oldsmith, who, in the excitement, ran into a half-open door. It was fortunate, as Fly
They began in the office of the Commissioner. Built into the thick adobe wall of the room was an enormous iron safe.
"We will open that first," decreed Fly
Sebastian remembered the blacksmith shop at the end of the parade ground. He returned from there laden with sledge-hammers and crow-bars.
Two hours later they were sweating and swearing in an atmosphere heavy with plaster dust. They had torn the safe from the wall, and it lay in the centre of the floor. Three of Fly
"It's no use, Fly
"Stand back!" roared Fly
"Wait!" shouted Sebastian and he and the gun-bearers scattered for cover.
The detonations of the heavy rifle were thunderous in the confined space of the office; gun-smoke mingled with the plaster dust, and the bullets ricocheted off the metal of the safe, leaving long smears of lead upon it, before whining away to embed themselves in the floor, wall and furniture.
This act of violence seemed to placate Fly
Once Fly
They stared at this profusion in awe, and then moved forward together. Each man to his own particular tastes, they fell upon Herman Fleischer's treasure house. The gun boys rolled out a cask of pickled pork, Sebastian started with his hunting knife on the cans, while Fly