'I followed the track some distance,' said Hoole. 'Nothing doing, except that a fiendish leech dropped on me from a tree, I suppose, and did himself rather well, confound him!' He showed his wrist. 'The beast has opened a vein, and I knew nothing about it until I got back into the moonlight and wondered how on earth I 'd cut my wrist. But there 's no sign of natives.'
Meek heaved a sign of satisfaction. Having introduced the Dutchman and explained his plight, Trentham went on:
'I think we had better get out of this at once. We haven't heard a sound from below, which suggests--doesn't it?--that the savages know another way up, probably far away. The track must lead to their village, so we 'll avoid that. Mr. Haan knows something of the country, and has offered to guide us to--what is it?'
'Friedrich Wilhelmshafen,' said Haan.
'A reg'lar tongue-twister, sir,' said Grinson. 'But it 'll change its name, like a woman, for better--couldn't be for worse!'
'Do we strike east or west?' asked Hoole.
'East,' replied Haan. 'I dink we should go an hour or two while the moon is up, den rest till morning.'
'Are there any beasts of the earth that do go forth and seek their prey by night?' asked Meek.
'Not in dis country,' the Dutchman answered. 'Dere are no dangerous beasts except de cannibals, and dey will not walk when the moon is down. We go, den; I show de way.'
Haan gazed into the sky, then went to the brink of the cliff and looked out to sea and along the coast in both directions.