“But what did you see?” asked Wienersdorf.
Johannes related what he had seen. “The canoe they are pursuing,” added he, “is Baba Poetjieng’s smuggler. What may not happen when they overtake him? Before twenty-four hours have passed, there will be two hundred boats cruising along the coast. I wish that drunken Walloon——”
Wienersdorf stopped him, observing, “Of what use is it to rave or to reproach? We must act. Now what are we to do?”
“The whole plan has collapsed. We cannot proceed along the southern coast;—can we, Dalim?” he continued, addressing one of the Dayaks.
“No mistake about that; the way there is blocked.”
He consulted for a few minutes with his countrymen and then pointing with his hand to the north, said—“There!”
“Up the Kahajan?” asked Johannes.
“No; we could not pass there. They will certainly examine the Kahajan.”
“What then?”
“Through the Troessan.” [[40]]