The men will be here at nightfall, and the fire will be lit to guide you." "It is good," said Muata.

"We will wait." The man stood for some time watching, then went into the bush, and the crew of the Okapi, to divert suspicion, got out fishing-lines and fished; but all the time Mr.Hume, lying under the awning, watched the distant island, which shielded an unknown number of their watchful foes.
"Woo!" said Muata, "the great one was right; and Muata is still a boy.

Haw! Truly, if we had landed, our journey would have ended here." "Suppose the canoes dash out before dark ?" said Venning.
"Then we will make a run for it." It was a long, long afternoon.

Anxiously they waited for the sun to set, and the boys marked the slow creeping of the shadows over the river thrown by the ridge on the south bank, and anxiously Mr.Hume watched the island and the broad sweep ahead--for the danger was ahead.

If the enemy had taken precautions to send a portion of the fleet up-river, they stood a chance of being intercepted.
At last the hour had come.