Alas! those prayers were not heard, for it pleased the Power to Whom they were addressed to decree otherwise.
After this meeting, in which I took an earnest share, Retief who just before it began had ridden in from Doornkop, whither he had been to visit his wife, held a kind of council, whereat the names of those who had volunteered or been ordered to accompany him, were finally taken down.

At this council there was a good deal of discussion, since many of the Boers did not think the expedition wise--at any rate, if it was to be carried out on so large a scale.

One of them, I forget which, an old man, pointed out that it might look like a war party, and that it would be wiser if only five or six went, as they had done before, since then there could be no mistake as to the peaceful nature of their intentions.
Retief himself combated this view, and at last turned suddenly to me, who was listening near by, and said: "Allan Quatermain, you are young, but you have a good judgment; also, you are one of the very few who know Dingaan and can speak his language.
Tell us now, what do you think ?" Thus adjured, I answered, perhaps moved thereto more than I thought by Hans's talk, that I, too, considered the thing dangerous, and that someone whose life was less valuable than the commandant's should go in command.
"Why do you say so, nephew," he said irritably, "seeing that all white men's lives are of equal value, and I can smell no danger in the business ?" "Because, commandant, I do smell danger, though what danger I cannot say, any more than a dog or a buck can when it sniffs something in the air and barks or runs.

Dingaan is a tamed tiger just now, but tigers are not house cats that one can play with them, as I know, who have felt his claws and just, only just, come out from between them." "What do you mean, nephew ?" asked Retief in his direct fashion.

"Do you believe that this swartzel" (that is, black creature) "means to kill us ?" "I believe that it is quite possible," I answered.
"Then, nephew, being a reasonable man as you are, you must have some ground for your belief.