Rejtő, Jenő: The three musketeers in Africa; Q 19045

22 other than Pitman, a former comrade he and Thorze ran away with from their oasis. The two of them were captured, but Pitman got away with the aid of a Bedouin sheikh. A lieutenant shot and wounded him, but the sheikh's people freed him and killed the lieutenant. Then Pitman, in the dead officer's uniform, and armed with his papers, came to Igori, posing as Lt Fleurien. He has since been promoted to captain. He cheats and steals huge sums and has bribed all the inmates and guards, but the railway construction seems to be making progress nevertheless. Next, the Sultan reports to the captain that the trio secretly talked to Barré, and the musketeers are then sent to a really horrible place that swarms with reptiles. They learn that Barré died in the night. From there they are taken to a hut that is on a little islet in' the river, and are warned not to venture outside or they'll be shot by guards on the river bank. The hut is the place of confinement of the most dangerous prisoners; they find them -- Sgt Potrien, who, the brave old soldier he is, refused to cooperate with the captain, turning down an offer of a pay of 20,000 francs a month for his complicity, and was brought here on the day after their arrival. There is another prisoner in there, a grey-haired, sickly man — General Duron. He is Francis's father — Barré is an alias under