Mr. Hume took the glasses and turned them on the spot. "Humph!" he muttered, while his brow clouded. "They are dead men."
"Five," said Compton.
"Yes, five. Muata has been at work!"
"Muata? He was sitting here quietly eating last night."
"Maybe it was either he or they, and he happened to be first to strike."
"It is awful!" muttered Venning.
The discovery destroyed their pleasure in the gentle beauty of the scene below, and they fell to discussing Hassan's probable plan of attack, arriving at the conclusion that the chances of success were with him, when they contrasted his force with the small band of men down below.
"While they are talking," said Compton, "Hassan will be seizing the best positions. Why on earth don't they do something?"
"Perhaps they are at work already," said Mr. Hume. "There is a small party coming down the valley from the left. Muata said something about Hassan's determination to drown the people of the valley. He could only flood the valley by damming the stream at its outlet, which would lie to the left, and I guess those men have been seeing to the defence."
"The leading man has plumes in his head. A chief, I suppose."