Some demonstration must be made to drive the brutes away from the camp.
Von Bloom, Hans, and Hendrik, laid hold of their guns, and got out of the wagon, while Swartboy armed himself with his bow and arrows.

All four stood close by the trunk of the nwana, on the other side from that where the fires were.

In this place they were in the shadow, where they could best observe anything that should come under the light of the fires without being themselves seen.

Their position was well chosen.
They had scarcely fixed themselves in it, when they perceived a great piece of neglect they had been guilty of.

Now, for the first time it occurred to them what had brought the hyenas around them in such numbers.