He had some money, I had none. With
it we bought the necessary outfit and presents for my enterprise
and started for Bekwando. The whole of the work fell to my share,
and with great trouble I succeeded in obtaining the concessions we
were working for. Your father spent all his time drinking, and
playing cards, when I would play with him. The agreement as to the
sharing of the profits was drawn up, it is true, by me, but at that
time he made no word of complaint. I had no relations, he described
himself as cut off wholly from his. It was here Francis first came
on the scene. He found your father half drunk, and when he read
the agreement it was plain what he thought. He thought that I was
letting your father kill himself that the whole thing might be mine.
He has probably told you so. I deny it. I did all I could to keep
him sober!
"On our homeward way your father was ill and our bearers deserted
us. We were pursued by the natives, who repented their concession,
and I had to fight them more than once, half a dozen strong, with
your father unconscious at my feet. It is true that I left him in
the bush, but it was at his bidding and I believed him dying. It
was my only chance and I took it. I escaped and reached Attra.
Then, to raise money to reach England, I had to borrow from a man
named Da Souza, and afterwards, in London, to start the Company, I
had to make him my partner in the profits of the concession.
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