Venning nodded. "It's all my fault, Dick."
Compton was glancing up into the trees. "We must dispose of that brute first. But how?"
"I have an idea," said Venning, after a long pause. "One of us will go on. Animals can't count. Seeing one of us moving, he may show himself to the other, who remains hidden."
"Good. I will go on;" and at once Compton, taking the more dangerous post, advanced slowly, leaving Venning standing against a tree.
A few moments later the watcher saw a dark form flitting through the branches high up, without, however, offering a ghost of a mark, and there was nothing left for him but to follow Compton and explain.
"And I suppose it's watching us now?" said the latter, gloomily.
"Any good to climb up a tree?"
"I should think not. Why, it's at home up there. You can see that from the length of the claws, and the length of the tail, which acts as a steerer, a balancing-pole, and a brake. You see when it brings the tail down—-?"
"No, I don't; but I do see that we are in a fix, and that the others must be in a worse position."
"I cannot imagine Mr. Hume being caught in a trap, especially when he has the jackal."
"And Muata!"