But Lavie was too wary to permit this. He returned a civil answer,
informing Umboo that they would be ready at the time named. Then,
calling to the others to follow him, he went into the hut to get ready.

As soon as they were safe inside, and free from the jealous scrutiny of
the Hottentots, the doctor addressed his companions.

"It won't do for us to stay any longer among these fellows," he said;
"our lives won't be safe if we do. I have learned that they mean to use
our help in picking off such of the Bushmen as may be able to escape
them at close quarters. But as soon as we have done their work, they
will strip us of our arms, and knock us on the head, if we resist I
heard that scoundrel Omatoko, and the fellow they call Leshoo, talking
over it. The chief is to have my rifle, and Omatoko Ernest's, while
Leshoo _is_ to have his choice of Frank's or Nick's."

"I'll make him a present of a bullet out of mine," cried Frank, "if I
only have the chance."

"Hush, Frank!" said Ernest, "they'll hear you. But, Charles, how comes
it that their manner towards us is so strangely altered all of a
sudden?"

"Well, in the first place, it appears to be owing to Leshoo's secret
machinations. He is afraid, it seems, of our favour with Umboo. In the
next, the delay in the return, of the messenger sent southward is
interpreted unfavourably to the English, at least Leshoo represents it
so. He says the Dutch must have got the better, or the man would have
been back before this. Umboo has now quite taken up this notion."

"Well, what do you advise, Charles?"

"That we go with them without any apparent reluctance, and accept
whatever service they ask us to undertake. But as soon as the attack on
the Bushmen begins, we will, all of us, make off as fast as we can
southwards. There are not very many of the Hottentots going on the
expedition. They will, almost certainly, be scattered in various
directions, and be too busy to notice our movements; some will probably
be killed or wounded. But even if that be not so, and if at the end of
the fighting we have not got too far to be followed, still they will
hardly dare to attack us. They are notoriously afraid of Europeans, and
have seen what we can do with our guns."

"And if they do attack us?" asked Nick.

"Then their blood be on their own heads. It is our lives or theirs, and
they wantonly provoke the contest."

"We can't do better than follow your advice," said Frank