Allan?"
"No," I answered, "but I have the fins of a fish, or something like
them, and I can swim."
Now there arose a chorus of expostulation.
"You shan't risk it," said Stephen, "I can swim as well as you and I'm
younger. I'll go, I want a bath."
"That you will have, O Stephen," interrupted Miss Hope, as I thought
in some alarm. "The latter rain from heaven will make you clean." (By
now it was pouring.)
"Yes, Stephen, you can swim," I said, "but you will forgive me for
saying that you are not particularly deadly with a rifle, and clean
shooting may be the essence of this business. Now listen to me, all of
you. I am going. I hope that I shall succeed, but if I fail it does
not so very much matter, for you will be no worse off than you were
before. There are three pairs of you. John and his wife; Stephen and
Miss Hope; Mavovo and Hans. If the odd man of the party comes to
grief, you will have to choose a new captain, that is all, but while I
lead I mean to be obeyed."
Then Mavovo, to whom Hans had been talking, spoke.
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