Back from the river on the Venezuelan side stood an old, abandoned blockhouse flanked by a few dilapidated mud huts.
“We’ll make camp there,” Mr. Brewster decided. “We can bring enough supplies into the blockhouse to hold Serbot off if he tries to attack us.”
“Do you think he has spies watching for us now?” asked Biff.
“Very probably,” his father rejoined. “And when he learns that we aren’t coming down the river, he will have to come up here to find us.”
Mr. Brewster signaled the other boats to shore, and when they landed, he explained full details of his plan.
“Tomorrow, Nara,” stated Mr. Brewster, “I want you to move your Wai Wai Indians down by a back trail to the rapids. They should be able to creep up on Serbot’s crew without his knowing it.”
Nara nodded agreement.
“As soon as Serbot becomes impatient and starts up here,” Mr. Brewster went on, “the Wai Wais can spring a surprise attack on any men that he leaves there. Then, before Serbot has time to attack us here, we’ll come down the river in the boats. We’ll pick your men up at the rapids, where they will have cleared the way for us.”
“But what about my monteria?” asked Nara, tilting his head in canny style. “It has all the gold ore. Remember?”
“We’ll bring it with the other boats,” promised Mr. Brewster. “It means more to me than to you, Nara, because you have lots more back at El Dorado. But these are the samples that I need to show Mr. Stannart and close the deal for Ajax.”