That would be
good. After the Dutch went away Lakamba and Dain would get the treasure
without any trouble, and there would be one person less to share it. Did
he not speak wisdom? Will Tuan Dain go to Bulangi's house till the
danger is over, go at once?
Dain accepted this suggestion of going into hiding with a certain sense
of conferring a favour upon Lakamba and the anxious statesman, but he met
the proposal of going at once with a decided no, looking Babalatchi
meaningly in the eye. The statesman sighed as a man accepting the
inevitable would do, and pointed silently towards the other bank of the
river. Dain bent his head slowly.
"Yes, I am going there," he said.
"Before the day comes?" asked Babalatchi.
"I am going there now," answered Dain, decisively. "The Orang Blanda
will not be here before to-morrow night, perhaps, and I must tell Almayer
of our arrangements."
"No, Tuan. No; say nothing," protested Babalatchi. "I will go over
myself at sunrise and let him know."
"I will see," said Dain, preparing to go.
The thunderstorm was recommencing outside, the heavy clouds hanging low
overhead now.
There was a constant rumble of distant thunder punctuated by the nearer
sharp crashes, and in the continuous play of blue lightning the woods and
the river showed fitfully, with all the elusive distinctness of detail
characteristic of such a scene.
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