sharing his prize, but he was shrewd enough to realize
that Barunda possessed the power to rob him of it all,
so at last he acquiesced, though with poor grace.

Bulan had stood near during this conversation, unable,
of course, to understand a single word of the native tongue.

"What does the man say?" he asked Barunda. "Has he
seen anything of the prahu bearing the girl?"

"Yes," replied the Dyak. "He says that two hours ago
such a war prahu passed on its way up river--he saw the
white girl plainly. Also he knows whither they are bound,
and how, by crossing through the jungle on foot, you may
intercept them at their next stop."

Bulan, suspecting no treachery, was all anxiety to be
off at once. Barunda suggested that in case of some
possible emergency causing the quarry to return down
the river it would be well to have a force remain at
the long-house to intercept them. He volunteered to
undertake the command of this party. Ninaka, he said,
would furnish guides to escort Bulan and his men
through the jungle to the point at which they might
expect to find Muda Saffir.

And so, with the girl he sought lying within fifty feet
of him, Bulan started off through the jungle with two
of Ninaka's Dyaks as guides--guides who had been well
instructed by their panglima as to their duties.