“Ah!” I exclaimed, with surprise; “but how know you this? Did you dream it?”
“Dream it, bother, no! Couldn’t sleep—heard a noise—got up—saw the fellow creeping along—followed him at a respectful distance: you know the rest; and now I have told you all. What do you think of it?”
“Why, that my suspicions are confirmed. But we must tell Prabu.”
“Then now is your time, for here he is,” said Martin, as the captain entered the room, to ask us whether we would go with Kati and the men to the cave, or with him and the bee-hunters.
“Before we answer you, listen to what my brother has to say,” said I; and Martin repeated what he had just told me. For a moment he pondered, but then, to our astonishment, laughingly said:
“It is nothing—it means nothing injurious to me. Surely these men are my brothers, and may go to and fro without their motives being questioned!”
“Prabu,” said Martin, wincing a little at this rebuke, “you are a queer fellow; I can’t make you out; you mean more than you say.”
“That is better than to say more than I mean; but how choose my masters?”
“Let us go with Prabu, Claud,” said Martin.
“With all my heart,” I replied; “for I believe I have had enough of the caves, at least for some time to come.” And so with Prabu and his two brothers-in-law that were to be we set out, the latter being laden with implements of their trade—namely, a bundle of the husks of cocoanut-shells, a quantity of small bamboo-sticks, and stout rattans.