I know the watchword, 'Devil,' and disguised as we are, perhaps the sentry will let us pass unquestioned.
If not, we must kill him, and silently." "Good," said Otter, "but how about the woman here ?" "We will leave her hidden in the bush; she could be of no help in the camp and might hinder us." "No, White Man," broke in Soa, "where you go I go also; moreover my mistress is yonder and I would seek her." "As you like," answered Leonard, then went on: "we must get between the hut, there is only one, and the low wall that borders the canal separating the Nest from the slave camp, and, if the drawbridge is up and no other means can be found, we must swim the dike, dispose of the sentry there also and gain the slave camp.

Then we must try to free some of the slaves and send them round through the garden into the morass to fire the reeds, should the wind blow strong enough.

Meanwhile I propose to walk boldly into the camp, salute Pereira, pass myself off as a slaver with a dhow at the mouth of the river, and say that I have come to buy slaves, and above all to bid for the white girl.

Luckily we have a good deal of gold.

That is my plan so far as it goes, the rest we must leave to chance.