“I will go; my people shall not injure you. We are your friends.”
He was then informed that Muro, the chief of the Saboros, was also with John.
“Muro? My sister is his wife.” This news made him dance with joy. He rushed up to the Professor and again embraced him, and then went to Ralsea and rubbed his nose against him, in token of friendship and peace between their people.
CHAPTER XVI
A PERPLEXING MIX-UP
Muro turned to John and Sutoto and quietly said: “They are preparing to attack us.” Sutoto looked at the guns and John divined his meaning glance. Taking one of the guns he gave it to Muro and requested him to explain its use.
Like many of the natives he had heard of the wonderful weapons, but this was the first opportunity to see and handle one of them. John told him it was his gun, and a smile lit up his face. The method of loading it; the putting on of the cap; the manner in which the firing plug was drawn back, and the firing of the piece by the pulling of the trigger were soon grasped by him.
The sights were being explained, when John called Muro’s attention to a moving object in the distance directly to the north. Sutoto noted the hand pointing in that direction, and casting a glance, instantly cried out: “Brabos!”
His keen eyesight saw what none of the others recognized. John turned to Muro: “I now see why he is such a remarkable messenger. A wonderfully keen sight, and a swift runner.”
To this Muro nodded a quick assent. “Kurabus to the southwest; Illyas to the southeast, and Brabos to the north. Well, this is a fine combination on the chessboard,” was Blakely’s summing up of the situation.
“But are not the Brabos at war with the Kurabus?” asked Harry.