was saying, “Oh, I hope I don’t muff this! I suppose it is the least I can do in return for the meal.”
The drums began to beat softly and the men hummed just above a whisper. This was Nancy’s cue. Raising her voice, she sang the lovely lullaby just as Madame Bulawaya had taught her.
At the end the natives were enthusiastic. They beat on the drums, stamped on the ground, and shouted their applause. Nancy bowed several times, then sat down with her friends.
“That was great!” Ned praised her. “I expect they will make you a princess of this tribe.”
Nancy’s eyes twinkled. “And have me become one of the chief’s wives?” Then she became serious. She knew that while tribal customs were kept, the men, women and children were becoming more civilized and educated all the time and polygamy was fast becoming a thing of the past.
When the entertainment was over, Nancy and her friends stood up and asked Butubu to thank the chief for the friendly hospitality and to tell him it was an experience they would never forget. The leader grinned broadly and hoped they would all come again—they would always be most welcome.
The visitors returned to the bus and drove back to Nairobi. They discussed the new clue to Tizam and asked Nancy what she intended to do next to solve the mystery about him.
“It’s only a hunch, but I have a strong feeling that he’s still alive and I’m going to work harder than ever to find him.”
“In Mombasa?” Ned asked.
“Probably. Now I can hardly wait to get there.”
She and her friends reached the hotel in time for a very late dinner. As she stopped at the desk to get her key, the clerk said that two men, one older than the other, had called on her that morning.
“They wouldn’t leave their names, but said they were most eager to get in touch with you,” he reported.
“What time were they here?” Nancy asked.
The clerk said he did not remember exactly, but that it was before the rest of the Emerson group had left for Mombasa. “The men seemed very annoyed to learn that you were not here.”
Nancy asked for a description of the two men. It was possible they were Jahan and Dhan! From what little the clerk could remember, however, it was hard to tell.
“One of the men mumbled something about having to wait all day for you to return,” the clerk said. “Oh, I forgot to mention that they’ll be back this evening.”
Deep in thought Nancy walked to the elevator, where her friends were waiting for her. On the way upstairs she told them what she had just learned.
“I don’t like this,” Ned commented. “Nancy, please don’t see those men alone. I’ll stick around and make sure that you’re safe!”
“And I’ll certainly be glad to have you.” Nancy smiled.
It was decided they would not spend much time dressing, as everyone was hungry. Besides, the dining room would soon close. They hurried and met downstairs. The young people had just finished dinner when one of the hotel boys handed Nancy a small silver platter. On it lay a note signed by the desk clerk. It read:
“Messrs. Brown and Ross who came earlier today to see you are waiting in the lobby,”
As Nancy rose from the table, her heart began to beat a little faster at the thought of what might lie ahead of her.
CHAPTER XVI
Swahili Joe
NANCY and Ned hurried into the lobby. The clerk nodded toward two men near the door. They were not Jahan and Dhan, but they definitely were Indians.
“Miss Drew?” one of them said. “I’m Mr. Brown. This is Mr. Ross.”
Nancy introduced Ned Nickerson but the Indians did not put out their hands to shake Ned’s. She quickly sized up the two callers. Her intuition warned her that these men had hard, cruel charac ters.
“Miss Drew,” said Brown, “we understand that you have a great interest in Mr. Tagore’s spider sapphire.”
“An interest?” Nancy replied. “I have heard it is very beautiful and I think it’s too bad that the gem is
The drums began to beat softly and the men hummed just above a whisper. This was Nancy’s cue. Raising her voice, she sang the lovely lullaby just as Madame Bulawaya had taught her.
At the end the natives were enthusiastic. They beat on the drums, stamped on the ground, and shouted their applause. Nancy bowed several times, then sat down with her friends.
“That was great!” Ned praised her. “I expect they will make you a princess of this tribe.”
Nancy’s eyes twinkled. “And have me become one of the chief’s wives?” Then she became serious. She knew that while tribal customs were kept, the men, women and children were becoming more civilized and educated all the time and polygamy was fast becoming a thing of the past.
When the entertainment was over, Nancy and her friends stood up and asked Butubu to thank the chief for the friendly hospitality and to tell him it was an experience they would never forget. The leader grinned broadly and hoped they would all come again—they would always be most welcome.
The visitors returned to the bus and drove back to Nairobi. They discussed the new clue to Tizam and asked Nancy what she intended to do next to solve the mystery about him.
“It’s only a hunch, but I have a strong feeling that he’s still alive and I’m going to work harder than ever to find him.”
“In Mombasa?” Ned asked.
“Probably. Now I can hardly wait to get there.”
She and her friends reached the hotel in time for a very late dinner. As she stopped at the desk to get her key, the clerk said that two men, one older than the other, had called on her that morning.
“They wouldn’t leave their names, but said they were most eager to get in touch with you,” he reported.
“What time were they here?” Nancy asked.
The clerk said he did not remember exactly, but that it was before the rest of the Emerson group had left for Mombasa. “The men seemed very annoyed to learn that you were not here.”
Nancy asked for a description of the two men. It was possible they were Jahan and Dhan! From what little the clerk could remember, however, it was hard to tell.
“One of the men mumbled something about having to wait all day for you to return,” the clerk said. “Oh, I forgot to mention that they’ll be back this evening.”
Deep in thought Nancy walked to the elevator, where her friends were waiting for her. On the way upstairs she told them what she had just learned.
“I don’t like this,” Ned commented. “Nancy, please don’t see those men alone. I’ll stick around and make sure that you’re safe!”
“And I’ll certainly be glad to have you.” Nancy smiled.
It was decided they would not spend much time dressing, as everyone was hungry. Besides, the dining room would soon close. They hurried and met downstairs. The young people had just finished dinner when one of the hotel boys handed Nancy a small silver platter. On it lay a note signed by the desk clerk. It read:
“Messrs. Brown and Ross who came earlier today to see you are waiting in the lobby,”
As Nancy rose from the table, her heart began to beat a little faster at the thought of what might lie ahead of her.
CHAPTER XVI
Swahili Joe
NANCY and Ned hurried into the lobby. The clerk nodded toward two men near the door. They were not Jahan and Dhan, but they definitely were Indians.
“Miss Drew?” one of them said. “I’m Mr. Brown. This is Mr. Ross.”
Nancy introduced Ned Nickerson but the Indians did not put out their hands to shake Ned’s. She quickly sized up the two callers. Her intuition warned her that these men had hard, cruel charac ters.
“Miss Drew,” said Brown, “we understand that you have a great interest in Mr. Tagore’s spider sapphire.”
“An interest?” Nancy replied. “I have heard it is very beautiful and I think it’s too bad that the gem is
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