Muro was instructed to confer with them, and to say that they had no hostile intentions, and this was conveyed to them, but the only response was that the whites had commenced the hostilities by taking their prisoners from them; which was true.
There was no common ground on which they could enter into a treaty with them, and the question now was to fight their way out as best they could.
“We might remain here for the day and night, and if we find they persist in besieging us, must continue to the south, and fight them as we go.”
All agreed to the Professor’s proposal; and they settled themselves to the more comfortable pastime of waiting for the morning. A most careful watch was kept up all night, and on two occasions parties stole up in order to secure more advantageous positions, but the chief Muro and his friends were too much on the alert to give them any advantage.
The wounded savages were removed by their friends in the night, and as soon as breakfast was over the entire party ranged alongside the wagon and headed for the south. This direction, it will be understood, would bring them directly into the heart of the Kurabus’ territory.
If the two tribes were hostile toward each other this might be a factor in their favor, but if friendly it would certainly mean a bitter fight. Muro advised a southwesterly course, and this would, of course, avoid the necessity of fighting both tribes, but it might also lead them into another tribe just as hostile.
The direct route to Muro’s tribe was to the south, or rather to the southeast. It was a difficult problem to decide. They must force the issue, be it right or wrong.
“We must ascertain from Muro how long it will take Stut to reach the tribe,” suggested John.
“He says two days, and two days more to get the people in motion. Muro was pretty smart. He says he instructed them to attack the Kurabus on the south, and that would divert them from us, but the trouble is that he has hardly reached them yet, and before night we may be within the territory of the Kurabus.”
A southwesterly course was decided on, and the Brabos followed. Evidently they had no fear of the Kurabus, and the intervening time might have been employed by them in sending runners to inform them of the invasion. All these things had to be taken into consideration.