yes," Michael went on, "I was going to warn you first, to give you a chance to think better of it--in which case I should have said nothing, of course. . . . But now get this clear. If I know of any new scheme, or any change of date or method, or anything that Lejaune does not already know--I shall tell him. . . . Do you understand? . . ."
"You cursed spy! You filthy, treacherous hound! You . . ." roared Schwartz. "Why should you . . ."
"Oh, don't be such a noisy nuisance, Schwartz," interrupted Michael. "I and a party of my friends don't choose to give Lejaune the chance he wants, and we don't really like murder either. . . . We have as much right to live as you, haven't we?"
"Live," snarled Brandt. "D'you call this living?"
"We aren't dying of thirst, anyhow," replied Michael. "And if we are chivvied and hunted and hounded by Lejaune, it's better than being hunted to our deaths by a camel-company of goums or by the Touaregs, isn't it?"
"And who are your precious friends?" asked Haff.
"There are five of them here, for a start," said St. André.
"And how many more?" asked Schwartz.
"You'll find that out when you start mutinying, my friend," said Maris. "Don't fancy that all your band mean all they say."
"In fact," put in Cordier, "you aren't the only conspirators. There is also a plot not to mutiny, d'you see? . . . And some good 'friends' of yours are in it too."
"So you'd better drop it, Schwartz," I added. "None of us is a spy, and none of us will report anything to Lejaune without telling you first and inviting you to give it up. And if you refuse--Lejaune is going to know all about it. You are simply surrounded by real spies, too, mind."
"You cowardly hounds!" growled Schwartz. "There isn't a man in the place. . . . Cowards, I say."
"Oh, quite," agreed Michael. "But we've enough pluck to stick things out while Lejaune is in command, if you haven't. . . . Anyhow--you know how things stand now," and he strolled off, followed by St. André, Maris, Cordier, and myself.
"This is a maison de fous," observed St. André.
"A corner of the lunatic asylum of Hell," said Cordier.
"Some of us had better keep awake to-night, I think," observed Maris.
"Especially if Bolidar is not in his bed," I added.
Michael drew me aside.
"We'll have another word with that sportsman," he said. "I think he'll have the latest tip from the stable, and I fancy he'll believe any promise we make him."
§8.
After completing our astiquage and other preparations for the morrow, Michael and I strolled in the courtyard.
"What'll Schwartz do now?" I asked.
"Probably act to-night," said Michael, "unless he swallowed our bluff that our party consists of more than us five. He may be wondering as to how many of his supposed adherents will really follow him if he starts the show. . . ."
"He may see how many will take a solemn oath to stand by him and see it through, if he gives the word for to-night," I suggested.
"Quite likely," agreed Michael. "And if neither Guantaio nor Bolidar knows about it, Schwartz may pull it off all right."
"I don't somehow see Lejaune taken by surprise, when he knows what's brewing," I said.
"No," replied Michael. "But he may be relying on Bolidar giving him the tip."
"What are we going to do if we wake up and find that the show has begun?" I asked.
"Stand by Lejaune," replied Michael. "France expects that every halfpenny legionary this day will do his dooty."
"It'll be too late to save Lejaune if we're awakened by rifle-shots and 'alarums and excursions without,' won't it?" I observed.
"That won't be our fault," said Michael. "If they murder Lejaune and the others, all we can do is to decline to join the mutineers."
"If we survive and they desert, I suppose the senior soldier will carry on as Commandant of the fort," I mused. That will take some deciding if only St. André, Maris, Cordier, you, and I are left. . . ."
"St. André has been a French officer," observed Michael.
"Yes--but they'll select you, old chap," I said.
"Then I'll use my powers to appoint St. André," smiled my brother.
Someone passed and repassed us in the dark, and then waited near the lantern by the quarter-guard, to identify us by its light.
It was Schwartz.
"See here, you," he said as he recognised us. "Come with me. . . . Now. . . . What are you going to do if someone kills Lejaune without doing himself the honour of consulting your lordships?"
"Nothing," replied Michael, as we walked away from the light. "We shall continue in our duty as soldiers. We shall obey the orders of the senior person remaining true to his salt and the Flag."
"The devil burn their filthy Flag!" snarled Schwartz. "I spit on it."
"A pity you came under it, if that's what you think," said Michael.
"Then you and your gang of cowards and blacklegs will not interfere?" asked Schwartz.
"If you will desert, you will desert," replied my brother. "That is not our affair. If we know what you are going to do, we shall report it, if we can't stop it. If we can prevent mutiny and murder we shall. . . . As for deserting--I should say the Legion would be well rid of you."
"Oh, you do, do you, Mr. Preacher?" replied Schwartz, who was evidently putting great and unwonted restraint upon himself. "What I want to know is whether you are going to fight us or not?"
"Certainly--if ordered to," replied Michael.
"And if there is no one to order you?" sneered Schwartz.
"Then obviously we shall not be ordered to, my good ass," was the unsoothing reply. "And we certainly shan't hinder your departure. . . . Far from it," he added.
Schwartz turned to go.
"Look to yourselves! I warn you! Look to yourselves," he growled.
"Oh, we shall. Don't you worry," replied Michael.
"They'll do it to-night," he added, as we watched Schwartz disappear. "We must secure our rifles and we must keep awake."
I wondered how much longer we should be able to stand this intolerable strain, in addition to the terrific heat and monotony of hardship.
"Go and look for Bolidar," said my brother after a brief silence. "I'll hunt round too. Bring him here if you find him. We'll ask him what's likely to happen if they mutiny to-night. Then we can fix up a plan of action with St. André and the
