Now they rested a while and held a consultation while they ate.

Across that lagoon they could not escape without a canoe.
"Lord," said the Mungana presently, "yesterday when these cannibals were let go a swift runner was sent forward commanding that a good boat should be provisioned and made ready for them, and by now doubtless this has been done.

Let them descend to the road, walk on to the bay and ask for the boat.

Look, yonder, far away a tongue of land covered with trees juts out into the lake.

We will make our way thither and after nightfall this chief can row back to it and take us into the canoe." Alan said that the plan was good, but Jeekie shook his head, asking what would happen if Fahni, finding himself safe upon the water, thought it wisest not to come to fetch them.
Alan translated his words to the old chief, whereon Fahni wanted to fight Jeekie because of the slur that he had cast upon his honour.