“I can see thirty of them, and if they go around us they will come on the trail of the party to the north, and probably will discover what has happened to them,” said John.
They were now close enough to be within range of the guns. In fact, they were near enough to use their arrows effectively, if the whites had exposed themselves. The Professor raised himself above the fort, and motioned to them, in the hope that it would cause them to desist from any further attack.
At the same time he pointed to the north, and at this motion, they drew back, and John reported that the band was making a circle around to the left. They had understood the motion, as it appeared, and, in accordance with the expectations of John and the Professor, the battle on the brink of the stream, and the discovery of the wounded, was sufficient to give them the information that their friends were being driven to the north by their late allies.
The Kurabus quickly learned from their wounded friend, the status of the quarrel, and there was a long consultation, before any action was taken.
“We do not seem to be making much headway in getting intimately acquainted with our friends on the island. We have only two things open to us. One is to proceed to the southwest, and meet the tribes living there, or to follow up the warring parties, and endeavor to establish relations with them in some manner,” was the Professor’s view of the situation.
At this juncture John descended from the tree. “I am of the opinion that the newly arrived band will follow up and try to aid their friends. The serious thing to my mind is, the thought that as they now know our location at the Cataract, one or the other party will go there and destroy everything.”
“Can you make out enough from the fellows’ answers outside to assure yourself that they were on their way to attack us there?”
“I am convinced of that,” answered John.
“I think it is our duty to return there at once,” was the Professor’s reply.
There was a unanimous assent to this proposal. It was now about ten o’clock, and George, in the treetop, called down: “They are going to the northeast.”