A listener might have smiled at the quick transition from banter to serious business. During the brief illumination, John had observed, how thin and worn Ferrier looked, and it seemed to help him to make up his mind. "Well," he said, "it’s risky, but I vote we make a bolt for it." "Now?" asked Ferrier quietly. "No, but you’ll do it, I can see. You don’t say, ’How can we?’ You see, we can’t expect help for two days at the least, and it may be much more. You look worn out as it is, and another day without proper food might do for you. But we can save time by fighting our way southward, though it’ll be a pretty risky business, as I said. The best time to clear out will be just about dawn; the fellows outside will be dead tired with watching and won’t expect any movement then. With luck we may get a mile or two away before they find out we’ve gone." "Why not start in the dark?" "Safer not, I think. We could easily be rushed in the darkness, and any damage we might do among them wouldn’t have half the moral effect it would have in the light, because they couldn’t see it. Now give me an idea how the land lies round this place: I only saw it from the side I came in at." "Well, there’s bush pretty well all round, but the ground’s clearest on the east side. There’s a gap in the bush there which would be the best road." "We’ll make for that, then. But look here, you’re dead tired, and you’ll want all your strength to-morrow. Get a sleep: I’ll see to everything and wake you when the times comes. What are your men, by the way? Swahilis?" "No, most of them are Bantus of one sort or another. I’ve got one Swahili; he’s headman; and two or three Wakikuyu, strapping fellows who can shoot." "That’s all right, then. Now go to sleep like a good chap, and don’t worry." It was so long since Ferrier had enjoyed a good night’s rest that he thankfully availed himself of the presence of a white man capable of taking command. John immediately set about his preparations for the sortie. He ordered the porters to make their loads ready as quickly as possible, discarding everything that was heavy or cumbersome and likely to impede rapidity of movement. Thinking over the position, he decided that the best plan would be to issue from the boma on the east side as if to pass through the gap. This movement, if detected, would probably draw the enemy to both sides of the gap, where they would wait in the bush, thinking they had the safari ambushed. But before reaching the gap he proposed to turn sharp off to the right, seizing a tongue of woodland jutting southward which he had noticed from his post of observation in the wood. Beyond that he could not make any plans, but must trust to the inspiration of the moment and the nature of the ground.