They were out of sight of the village now but
did not doubt but that they were observed by the keen eyes of the
little men.
"We want to pick out a place where they won't come upon us as we
descend," declared Tom. "We've got to mend some leaks in the gas
bag, for, while they are not serious, if we get any more punctures
they may become so. So we've got to pick out a good place to go
down."
Finally, by means of powerful glasses, a desolate part of the jungle
was selected. No files of the red dwarfs, coming from their
scattered villages to join their tribesmen, had been noted in the
vicinity picked out, and it was hoped that it would answer. Slowly
the airship settled to earth, coming to rest in a thick grove of
trees, where there was an opening just large enough to allow the
Black Hawk to enter.
Our friends were soon busy repairing the leaks in the bag, while Mr.
Damon got a meal ready. As they ate they talked over plans for the
night attack.
It was decided to wait until it was about two o'clock in the
morning, as at that hour the dwarfs were most generally asleep,
Tomba said. They always stayed up quite late, sitting around camp-
fires, and eating the meat which the hunters brought in each day.
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