"It would be useless," was the emphatic answer, given with a vigorous shake of the head. "I know the ways of these Somali warriors too well, and I am as certain that we should fall into their hands as I am that we are here. Why, a hare could not hope to get through their lines, for now they are arranged three or four deep, and if we crept past the first and went on our way, the second, or a later one, would spy us out, and come galloping after us. No, the attempt would be hopeless, for the country is alive with their horse and foot."
"Then is there any other way? Would the river help us?"
"Had we a boat it might, but without that we should soon fall victims to the alligators which abound."
"How often is this hut visited?" asked Jim quietly.
"Perhaps once a week, and then not for a month. This is a reserve store, and it is only when the Mullah is about to give a feast to his followers that there is need to draw upon the contents."
"Then let us take our place amongst the stores," said Jim coolly. "There we shall find food and drink sufficient to keep life in us, and there, it seems to me, we can repose with some amount of safety. After all, the idea is a good one, for it offers some chance of a hiding-place."
For long John Margetson lay at his side, considering the question ere he ventured a reply. Then he turned slowly to Jim, and stretching out his hand in the darkness, pinched the latter sharply upon the arm.
"George!" he whispered, in tones of mingled delight and amazement. "You are a regular general. You ought to have been a scout, or something of that sort, for you are as cute and as slim as they make 'em. At any rate, you have spied out the only path for us. I've looked at the matter from every point of view. I admit that I've said to myself that you are evidently a youngster with the usual impetuosity of your age, and that your schemes were not to be listened to with much attention. Then I've tried to find a better plan, and have failed miserably. At last I have come back to this dodge of yours, and, hang me, it's just the thing. It's the cheek of it, the impudence, if I may call it so, which will help towards its success, for who amongst these Somalis would dream that we had elected to remain in hiding amongst them? Yes, it's the very boldness of it all that will make us safe, and—look here, I haven't a ghost of an idea what your age is, or what you're like, for I've only seen you in this moonlight, but after this you must take the helm. You'll act as skipper, while I take my old place as mate. Tell me, what are you? A young chap with a budding moustache, and heaps of go; or a lad with scarcely a hair on his face?"
"The second," answered Jim, blushing at his youthful looks, even though there was no fear of observation. "A few weeks ago I was one of the senior fellows at a public school, but now—well, I feel years older. But what about this hut? If we're going to retire to the interior, the sooner we do so the better."
"Then we'll disappear at once. Come along, but be very careful to keep below the level of the parapet, for here we are in shadow, while if we stood above the edge, our figures would at once be outlined by the moon."