“Ay, if we have luck. But suppose we haven’t?”
“We must take the chances, Mynheer Hans; all the more as there’s no help for it. But I’m sure it’s our best way.”
“So I,” seconded Rynwald.
“But,” said Blom, less objecting than to get a clearer comprehension of what their chief intended, “you don’t propose our descending the river afoot—tramping along the banks, do you?”
“Certainly not! That would be a trudge to take time, indeed; harder than crossing the Kalahari (Note 4) itself. We’ll sail down to the sea.”
“But what about boats? We have none.”
“We must do without them—build rafts, which in a way will be better than boats.”
“Oh! that’s your idea, Mynheer Jan. I suppose it’s a good one, and for the best. Well, I’m willing too. So let us make it a water journey.”
The other two having already pronounced in favour of this, the consultation came to a close by Van Dorn saying—
“And, brothers; the sooner we start the better. We can gain nothing by staying longer in this tainted spot; but may lose something—our health, likely, if not our very lives.”