"Spears?" said the doctor; "we have our guns."
"But they would betray us, Cameron," said Mr. Kenyon. "We should have spears for ourselves and men."
"There are plenty of guns in the palace," said Phra. "Sree, could we get spears by then?"
The old hunter was silent for a while, as if thinking deeply.
"How long is it before morning?" he said.
"It must be near day-break now," replied Mr. Kenyon.
"No, Sahib. Not for two hours yet. There are many spears in the big boats that have gone up to the palace landing-place; and if the men on board are asleep, we might get what we want."
"There are sheaves and sheaves in the guard-rooms, Sree, if we could get them."
"Yes, Sahib Phra," replied the man; "but that we could not do. If the sahibs will get on to the floor above us and stay there with the men, it is very dark to-night, and Adong and Lahn might go with me in the boat. We could row up very quietly, and perhaps get enough from one of the barges."
"Try," said Mr. Kenyon laconically. "You could not hurt if you were careful."