We don't know what chance we have of getting supplies, and particularly rifles, without letting any one know where we are, but we do know we've a clear field and a straight mark for Elgon, where rumor says--and Courtney said--and Schillingschen thinks--and this map says the ivory ought to be! The odds are against us--climate--starvation--wild beasts--savages--last and not least, the government, if they ever get wind of our being beyond bounds.

Are we willing to take the chance, or are we not ?" We talked it over for an hour, Coutlass listening all ears to most of what we said, although we drove him to the farthest limit of the shade trees.

We were in two minds whether or not it mattered if he listened, and made the usual two-minds hash of it.

Finally we put it to a vote, letting Brown have a voice with the rest of us.

He was in favor of anything that offered prospect of a gamble; and we remembered the letter in code we had given the missionary to mail to Monty.