'It would be better if I went to find the way alone, without a load on my back, and came back for you.'
'If you didn't find it, you'd have to come back just the same. We'd be no further on, with a day wasted.'
'A dhow might have come in or a canoe from a village along the coast.'
Norah said nothing. Though she did not put into words the criticism of her lover, she knew the futility of arguing with a man who prefers a sixty-six to one miracle to a short price chance.
After a brief silence Dick expounded his scheme. There was a hope that the valley of the yellow river led to a pass. He would follow the stream to its source, from every vantage point searching with field-glasses for sign of human life—boat on the lake, path, garden or village in the forest.
Norah gave in. Human eyes she knew could penetrate short distance into the forest, and she had small faith in the plan. But Dick had taken the initiative, and she was not sure enough of her own scheme to force its risk on him. In any case no time must be wasted in argument.
'All right, dear; I'll come the first bit of the climb with you.' Her new-born insight into his nature advised her to keep him under way. Followed by Changalilo, they ascended the course of the yellow stream.
Fantastically tangled roots, growing apparently in air, and a lattice work of creepers formed a wall that forbade progress along the bank, but, at that season of the year, it was possible to walk along a strip of shingle that bordered the bed of the stream. Up this they toiled until their advance was barred by a little waterfall, which boiled through a gap in rocks worn smooth and red, and fell in spray on the rounded boulders below.
Dick decided to deviate into the forest. From where they stood it was possible to divine the course of the river through the trees, until it disappeared circling round the base of a column or chimney of natural rock, whose throat torn raggedly open showed where a small volcano or blowhole had once belched its stream of lava. Dick intended to slant through the forest and rejoin the river by the chimney.
'I'll go back here,' said Norah. 'Changalilo, stay with Bwana Dick to show him the way back to-night.'