It was fortunate that we did, for just as it was growing dusk, after a good look round we were about to cross the rivulet, and go through the cavern and up the rift back into camp, when I caught the doctor’s arm without a word.
He started and looked in the same direction as I did which was right down the gully, and saw what had taken my attention, namely, the stooping bodies of a couple of blacks hurrying away through the bushes at a pretty good rate.
The doctor clapped his piece to his shoulder, and then dropped it once more.
“No!” he said. “I might kill one, but the other would bear the news. Fortunately they are going the other way and not ours. Quick, my lad! let’s get back to camp and start.”
“And they’ll come back with a lot of their warriors to attack us to-night and find us gone!”
“And while they are gone, Joe, we will attack their place and carry off our prize!”
“If we only could!” I cried fervently.
“No ifs, Joe,” he said smiling; “we will!”
It did not take us many minutes to reach the mouth of the cave, and as we entered I looked round again, to catch sight of another black figure crouching far up the opposite bank, at the foot of a great tree.
I did not speak, for it was better that the black should not think he had been seen, so followed the doctor into the cave, climbed the rift with him, and found all ready for the start.