"You seem to have little faith in your people," said Compton.
"Haw! They grow fat and timid. They have no fight in them. Once before, when I was a boy, I beat them; but they have forgotten."
"I rather think, chief, that they would be as well off under Hassan as under you."
"Hassan would yoke them in and drive them out through the forest into the plains. A man must fight for his kraal. That is the law."
"It is the law," said the woman.
"And that is the Place of Rest?" said Venning, lingering on the sight. "More like a place of trouble for some; but, at any rate, if there are hills and open places, I shall be glad to get there. It would be a real treat to have space enough for a trot. But, I say, it is time you two slept."
"That is just what I have been thinking," said Mr. Hume.
The two boys took the levers, but Muata declined to rest. He said there were two openings leading from the lagoon to the hills—one a broad channel, commonly used, the other a smaller channel.
"We will take the little river," he said, "so that Hassan, who will follow the other track, will not know of our going. But it is hard to find this little water-path, and I must search for it."
"Don't go up a track that will not give water for the boat. Are you sure that it will carry us?"