Being unable to learn as much as he desired from his post of observation south of the camp, John, still accompanied by the Wanderobbo, struck off to the west, crossed the stream, which was only knee-deep but fairly swift, and making a long circuit came down upon it again through the elephant grass, at a point directly opposite the camp, and only about a hundred yards from it. The ground rose gradually from the river to the boma. From his position at the edge of the grass John could not see the gate, but guessed from the coming and going of the men that it was on the south-west side. The boma was constructed of material cut from the surrounding scrub, and was of no great strength, though sufficiently formidable to stop a rush. The fact that the men had kindled fires showed that they were not seriously apprehensive of being followed up, and this sign of security was welcome to John, as favouring his design of surprising them. It was nearly dark when he rejoined the safari, so fatigued that Ferrier questioned the possibility of his leading an attack that night. "Oh, I’m all right," said John. "I can rest for an hour or two. Have you got a pencil? I’ll draw a sketch of the camp. Here’s the stream: here’s the elephant grass: what I propose is that we make our way to that and suddenly spring on them. Even disciplined troops are pretty well scarified by a night attack, and if we can only fairly surprise these beggars we ought at least to be able to get our ammunition, if not our rifles, in the confusion." "But if they stand we shall be in a bad way." "That’s true. We can’t match them in mere fighting strength. Everything depends on the completeness of the surprise, and we shall have to be very strict with our men. The slightest sound will give the alarm, and as they’re not used to marching at night they are likely to be scared by anything. That’s all I’m afraid of. I don’t know whether we hadn’t better gag them all." Ferrier laughed. "I don’t think that would help matters," he said. "You had better explain to them what’s at stake, and then take your chance." "Well, we’ll try it to-night. D’you know I begin to get a notion of what their game is. Bill says that one of them belonged to the Arabs who stole his ivory. If that’s so, the fellow will know where the ivory is buried, and I fancy this is a pretty scheme to get hold of it. Ten to one it’s Juma. That would explain his bagging rifles and ammunition. He wanted to get together a strong party, so that he could keep off the ’bad men’ in whose country the ivory is. It will be rather a feather in our cap if we can get back our property and dish his little game too." "Don’t fly too high, old chap. We may thank our stars if we get through at all, and if you take my advice, as soon as we have secured the ammunition if we ever do, you’ll make tracks for home and not go treasure-hunting. There’s nobody on the farm, remember."