“But what use would this little spot be to them?  In a short time it will be too small for your own people.”

“When that day comes, O Spider, we would be free to go to the land of my fathers, where my son will find his kraal.”

“You will want many canoes, mother, when that day comes.”

“And they tell me,” said the woman, with a keen glance, “that you white men are good boat-builders.  Aye, I have seen your boats on the great river, with wings and with fire.”

“Our boat—­the one you sat in—­the boat down in the pool, has wings,” said Venning, innocently.

“Muata the chief tells me the boat has gone.  Wow!  The place is taboo; I knew the spirit people would take it; but you can build others.”

“We have no tools.”

“Wow!  You could make them.”

“We have no skill in such work.”

The wise woman pondered.  “He, the white man who lived here, consulted a familiar he carried much with him; he would find from it how to build boats and to forge iron.”

Compton produced his log-book.  “See, mother, was it like that?”

“Wow!  It was like.”

“Bring me the ‘familiar’ of the white man, for he was my father, as you know, and you will hear his voice again.  Maybe we will learn from it how to make tools for the building of boats.”

“I will search, O son of my white man.”

She sat awhile, then produced a cob-pipe, and, after getting a fill of tobacco, went off smoking with the bowl against her cheek.

“Humph!” said Venning.  “Wants to keep us as boat-builders.  I bet she’s taken the Okapi as the first of the fleet for the great exodus.”

“And intends that we should be the navigators as well as the builders.”

Mr. Hume was of the same opinion when he joined them later on and was in possession of the wise woman’s remarks.

“She is the power behind the throne,” he said musingly, “and I have been wondering for some time what was her object.  Now I see.  I have been giving my consent as chief to laws which are framed evidently to keep us here.”

“Making laws?”

“Been doing nothing else.  There was a law making it a crime for any man to leave the valley without the consent of the people.  Another law calling on all—­men as well as women—­to work for the good of the clan.  Another making it a crime to withhold knowledge that would be for the general good.  There was another declaring that the vice-chief must have at least two wives.”

“But you have not one wife.”

“That is easily remedied,” said the Hunter, with a groan.

“What do you mean, sir?”

“See that?” and Mr. Hume pointed at a spot in the valley where many women were at work.

“They are building a hut,” said Venning.

“My hut!” Mr. Hume filled his pipe with great deliberation, took a coal from the fire, and stared at his two companions till his hand was scorched.  “I am to be married at the full moon!”