CHAPTER XVIII. TWO PERILS. "Just what I feared," said Hazon calmly, but with ever so faint a glance at his confederate. "Our people are in revolt." Both men rose to their feet, but leisurely, and turned to confront the approaching tumult. And formidable enough this was. The Wangoni advanced in a compact mass, beating their shields with their spear-hafts, yelling in concert a shrill, harsh battle-song, into which they had managed to import an indescribable note of defiance, announcing their intention of returning to "eat up" those they had so weakly spared the previous day. On either side of them came the Arab and Swahili element, in silence, however, but a silence which was no less ominous than their sullen and scowling looks, and the almost significant gestures wherewith they handled their rifles. "What do they want, Lutali?" said Hazon, turning to the Arab who, with Holmes, had just joined the pair. But Lutali shrugged his shoulders, and his hawk-like features scarce moved. Then he said: "Who may think to strive against the hand of Allah and that of his Prophet? Yon foul dogs, even they--so great is the mercy of Allah--even they might have been turned into good Moslemia, even as other such have been before them. Yet we--we have left them to wallow in the mire of their cannibal abominations. Our people are not satisfied, El Khanac, and they fear that ill may come of it." "A magnificent and comfortable hypocrisy that," said Laurence, in English. "Such combination of soul-saving and slave-selling is unique." Then, in Swahili, "But what do they want, Lutali?" "They want to set right the error of yesterday." "But the Wangoni don't care a grain of rice for Allah and his Prophet," he went on. "Why, then, are _they_ dissatisfied?" "They are instruments in the hands of those who do. It is so written. Allah is great. Who may call in question his decrees?" replied the Arab, in the same level monotone. "Let the people do their will, which is also the will of Allah." During this conversation the whole party had halted, and now stood in a great semicircle around the white leaders. Then Mashumbwe spoke, and his words, though fairly courteous, managed to cover an extremely defiant tone. "Our people are dissatisfied, father," he said, addressing Hazon. "They desire to return home." "Wherefore?" asked Hazon shortly. "_Au!_ they came forth to 'eat up' other tribes, not to spare such. They are dissatisfied." "They'd better have their own way," muttered Hazon, in English. "You are sacrificing all we have done and obtained this trip to an empty whim. How does that pan out, Stanninghame?" "I hate to go back on my word," was the reply; "still more to be bullied into it." "Well said!" declared Holmes warmly.