Next hut to them,
twenty, thirty yards away, two white men. Dey sit on log and smoke
cigar. In de next hut four white sailor. Den a little distance
away, twelve black fellows sit round fire and cook food. Plenty of
goats down in valley, good gardens and lots of bananas."
"How did the white ladies seem?"
"Not seem anyting particular, sar. Dey neber look in de direction
ob oders. Just talk togeder bery quiet. Me see dere lips move, but
hear no voice. Hear de voice of men quite plain."
"How close can we get without being seen?"
"About fifty yards, sar. Huts put near stream under big trees.
Trees not tick just dar; little way lower down banana trees run
down to edge ob stream. If can get round de village on dat side
widout being seen, can go through bananas, den dash across de
stream and run for de ladies. Can get dere before de oders.
Besides, if dey run dat way we shoot dem down."
"Thank God, that is all satisfactory," Frank said. "But it is hard
having to wait here another five hours before doing anything."
"We are ready to go and pitch into them at once, sir," one of the
sailors said. "You have only to say the word.
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