"And seeing this our canoe of shining metal, you found courage to leave the reeds wherein you hid to come to us for help?"
"Oh, wonderful!" said the canoe-man, turning up his eyes. "When these eyes saw your shining canoe, they were gladdened, for I said, 'Here come helpers.'"
"And you will take us to where these men are hidden, so that we may share the price that is on their heads?"
The man grinned. "You can have all the prize—all," he said, "and after we will go to my venerable mother, and eat fish and goats' meat."
Muata smiled gently. "All the price?"
"Did I say all?" said the man, with a swift look at the chief. "I did wrong to my people—a portion to them and a portion to me."
"That is fair," said Muata.
"Oh, good words. See, I beat my mouth for the ill word I spoke;" and he struck his mouth. "But see, O chief, we move on, and the bad men will see us going, and make a plan to escape."
"Let it be so. If they see us they will see we are passing on, and be comforted. And who will pay the price that is set on their heads?"
"They have the price with them," said the man, with a cunning look, "in ivory, in palm-oil, and in many things they have robbed from the villages."