“How near did you go to the camp?”
“Within two hundred feet. I believe there are two white men among the captives.”
Thus was new fuel added to the imaginations of the boys. It was, indeed, a mission of rescue. But the new arrivals added materially to the force in their front.
“They must have fully a hundred men, judging from the hurried count made after we returned. I made out fifty before the lot with the captives came in.”
John and the Professor conferred on the situation, and made numerous suggestions as to their proper course.
“The only objection I have to attempting a rescue to-night is that we shall bring down on us the enmity of the tribe. I had hoped we could show them by our actions that we were disposed to be friendly, and the rescue of the captives would be an act of hostility at the start.”
“I appreciate your views, Professor, but we are here, primarily, to rescue our people, and to-morrow they will take them to their village, and the chances of recapture would be lessened. It occurs to me that a strong, bold front at this time will do more to instil fear than any other course.”
“I agree with you in the main. It will be a hazardous undertaking, but whether it is or not should not deter us if we consider it the proper course to follow. Yes; let us make arrangements accordingly.”
The news of this decision was hailed with delight by the boys. Stut knew what was going on, and volunteered to accompany them. He knew the people before them. They were his deadly enemies.
The boys had made a half dozen pistols to replace those lost when the yaks ran away, about six months before. John removed Chump’s breech clout, took off his own clothing, and daubed the exposed part of his body with mud, and Stut, with an eye to business, which was very much to his liking, took the headdresses, and to the surprise of John, and amusement of the others, converted them into fairly good imitations of the clothing worn by the campers beyond.