“We can leave this place tomorrow morning,” said he, finally; “but I do not see how we can accomplish the feat before then. Do you imagine we can hold the natives at bay another day?”
“We can try,” I said as cheerfully as I could.
But the prospect was not an enticing one, and I began to bitterly regret our folly in ever entering a place wherein we could be so easily imprisoned.
“If we get out,” said Nux, “then we mus’ fight our way all time. If we bold an’ quick, we get away all right.”
Nux didn’t speak often, but his judgment was pretty good.
“I want those diamonds,” I said; “and I’m going to have them. If we go back empty-handed we have made a failure of the expedition.”
“To let a lot of ignorant natives triumph over the greatest invention of the century is absurd—it’s fairly criminal!” added Moit. “I’m not afraid to tackle the whole San Blas nation in this car.”
“Too bad you didn’t make it a man-o’-war,” said I, with a laugh. “If we had a gattling gun aboard we’d have everything our own way.”
We raised the curtains, and while Bry openly got the breakfast ready I took careful note of our surroundings.
Some twenty warriors, armed with spears and bows, were in sight, lounging in doorways or leaning silently against the various buildings. They were watching us closely, no doubt; but there was no open attempt to attack us as yet.