And now the clamour gathered to a yell, for they had learned that their boats were gone and that they were trapped.
From their shelter on the other side of the river, as they dropped leisurely down the stream, Leonard and Otter could catch distant glimpses of the frantic men rushing to and fro in the bright moonlight and seeking for their boats.

But the boats had departed to return no more.

By degrees the clamour lessened behind them, till at last it died away, swallowed in the silence of the night.
Then Leonard told Soa what he had heard by the slaver's fire.
"How far is the road, Black One ?" she asked when he had finished.
"By sundown to-morrow we shall be at the Yellow Devil's gates!" answered Otter.
Two hours later they overtook the boats which they had cut adrift.

Most of them were tied together, and they floated peacefully in a group.
"We had better scuttle them," said Leonard.
"No, Baas," answered Otter, "if we escape we may want them again.

Yonder is the place where we must land," and he pointed to a distant tongue of marsh.