"Suppose," said Gridley, "that Von Horst and I go out with Muviro and his Waziri. They are experienced trackers, prime fighting men and they certainly know the jungle." "Not this jungle," said Dorf. "But at least they know any jungle better than the rest of us," insisted Gridley. "I think your plan is a good one," said Zuppner, "and anyway as you are in command now, the rest of us gladly place ourselves under your orders." "The conditions that confront us here are new to all of us," said Gridley. "Nothing that anyone of us can suggest or command can be based upon any personal experience or knowledge that the rest do not possess, and in matters of this kind I think that we had better reach our decision after full discussion rather than to depend blindly upon official priority of authority." "That has been Greystoke's policy," said Zuppner, "and it has made it very easy and pleasant for all of us. I quite agree with you, but I can think of no more feasible plan than that which you have suggested." "Very good," said Gridley. "Will you accompany me, Lieutenant?" he asked, turning to Von Horst. The officer grinned. "Will I?" he exclaimed. "I should never have forgiven you if you had left me out of it." "Fine," said Gridley. "And now, I think, we might as well make our preparations at once and get as early a start as possible. See that the Waziri have eaten, Lieutenant, and tell Muviro that I want them armed with rifles. These fellows can use them all right, but they rather look with scorn upon anything more modern than their war spears and arrows." "Yes, I discovered that," said Hines. "Muviro told me a few days ago that his people consider firearms as something of an admission of cowardice. He told me that they use them for target practice, but when they go out after lions or rhino they leave their rifles behind and take their spears and arrows." "After they have seen what I saw," said Dorf, "they will have more respect for an express rifle." "See that they take plenty of ammunition, Von Horst," said Gridley, "for from what I have seen in this country we shall not have to carry any provisions." "A man who could not live off this country would starve to death in a meat market," said Zuppner. Von Horst left to carry out Gridley's orders while the latter returned to his cabin to prepare for the expedition.