Looking back from the top of a little hill, the three boys could see the village of Chief Ruku-Ru, which they had skirted, still sleeping after its exciting night. Ahead, through the long buffalo4 grass, wound the bearers under the direction of Wimba and Matse, each man either carrying a bundle on his head or else supporting on his shoulders one end of a pole from which was slung5 one of the more bulky articles of equipment, while a companion upheld the other.
Then they dropped down on the other side of the rise, and the village was lost to view.
“If we do,” said Frank, “there’ll be an ebony, chieftain looking for War Chief Mikalwa’s scalp.”
“What do you mean, looking for my scalp?” demanded Bob.
“Oh, nothing,” said Frank, airily. “Only when Chief Ruku-Ru goes to put on his headpiece after we’ve left and thinks he’s going to hear a concert, how do you think he’ll regard you?”
Bob laughed. “Well he had a good time with it last night. And, besides, possession of that set will always mean something to him. It’s white man’s magic. And that alone will raise him in the esteem8 of his people.”
After putting the village behind them, the party settled down to continuous travel, for the big game country for which Mr. Hampton was heading lay ten days travel to the northwest. The marches were made in the early morning and late afternoon. During the heat of the day, there was a halt of four hours, as travel would have been too arduous9 and, indeed, dangerous in the extreme under that blazing sun.
Hot though the days were, however, the nights were cool. And so the boys hot only managed to hold out without falling ill, but even enjoyed the trip. Their irrepressible spirits, moreover, came to the fore10. And on several occasions they played practical jokes on each other which were the cause of much laughter on the part of Mr. Hampton and Niellsen.
One such occurred after they had been on the march more than a week and were encamped one night near the bank of a river on the edge of the big game country.
The day had been hot and breathless, but the night had turned cool. And after camp was pitched, the boys with Mr. Hampton and Niellsen were gathered about a camp fire not far from their tent. Niellsen who had taken motion pictures in many out-of-the-way corners of the world had been telling of some of his experience.
“And so,” he concluded, “when I turned back my bed before jumping in that night, I found a puff-adder all curled up nicely there for a snooze. You fellows have often asked me why I always look into my bed before hopping11 in. Well, that’s the reason.”
“Brrr,” shuddered12 Bob, “if there’s anything I detest13 it’s a snake. And puff-adders are the deadliest in the world, aren’t they?”
“They are that,” said Niellsen, emphatically. “While that is true, though,” added Mr. Hampton, “yet the deaths from snake bites are remarkably14 few in Africa. The natives have various antidotes15. And many a man who has been bitten by one or other of the various poisonous snakes of Africa, even by the puff-adder, has failed to die of his injury. However, I for one have no desire to be bitten. Well, let’s turn in, fellows. We want to make an early start tomorrow and try and find some place where we can ford16 this river.”
Then, noting with surprise the absence of Jack and Frank, whom he had failed to see slip away several minutes before, he asked what had become of them. But so quiet had been their departure that neither of the others had noted17 it.
“Maybe they’ve already turned in,” said Niellsen, getting up and stretching.
All three set out for their tents, and a look into that shared by the three boys showed Jack and Frank already snuggled down in their “flea” bags.
Good nights were said, and then Mr. Hampton and Niellsen parting company with Bob went to their tent. So fatigued18 was the big fellow after an arduous day of marching that he was half-asleep, while disrobing, and he tumbled into his sleeping bag unaware19 of the fact that his comrades watched his every movement alertly through slitted eyelids20.
One long sigh he gave, the kind a fellow emits just before settling down to a good night’s sleep. He squirmed once or twice, making himself comfortable. Then his eyes closed and he fall into that half-waking, half-sleeping stage from which insensibly one drifts into profound slumber21.
Suddenly his every nerve quivered. He was just on the point of drawing his body together and springing up, blankets and all, when he recalled the advice given him for just such an emergency and by an effort of will controlled his nerves so that he lay perfectly22 still and motionless. But what an effort was required! For big Bob felt something clammy and cold touch his leg, something alive, something that moved and wriggled23 and was gliding24 alongside his body toward his head.
Undoubtedly25, it was a snake. Into his mind leaped recollection of what had been said only a short time previously26 about the camp fire on the subject of snakes.
Niellsen had said puff-adders were the deadliest of snakes, and likewise that they preferred to coil themselves in a fellow’s bedding. This must be a puff-adder, nothing less.
If a fellow exhibited no sign of life when in the vicinity of a snake, Mr. Hampton had earlier declared, the reptile27 might fail to become alarmed and might glide28 away without striking. It was his only chance. And big Bob, suffering agonies of mental torture, nevertheless exercised an iron self-control and lay without moving a muscle.
But not for long could he or anyone control himself under such conditions. Hot eyeballs glaring into the darkness began to see pinwheels and rockets. He felt as if his chest would burst. In another moment, he must let go, and leap up, no matter what the consequences.
All this time the clammy something had been creeping farther and farther up Bob’s body. Now it came to his thigh29, and then he could feel it on his abdomen30. Bob couldn’t stand the torture of passivity any longer. He was just on the verge31 of crying out in horror, when realization32 came to him with a jolt33 that the something, whatever it was, was crawling, not gliding, crawling on four legs. Therefore, it couldn’t be a snake.
One bound shot Bob out of his blankets. He seized an electric torch which he always kept near at hand, and whirling about focused its brilliant gleam upon his “flea” bag. There, in the middle of the blankets, blinking in the white glare, sat an insignificant34 little green frog.
Suddenly a flash of realization came to him. He saw it all. Frank and Jack had slipped away and preceded him to the tent. Camp was near the river bank. It would have been easy enough to walk along the edge of the stream with a flashlight, and by its glare surprise a frog and capture it. Easy enough, indeed; and, undoubtedly, that was what had been done. Then the two rascals36 had put the frog in his blankets.
Assured of this, Bob’s first idea was to tumble his comrades out of bed at once and roughhouse them. He had been badly scared. In fact, his nerves still quivered. He considered they had gone a bit too far in the matter of practical joking. Then he decided37 against instant action.
That was just what they would be looking for. Undoubtedly, they were awake and watching his every movement, enjoying his discomfiture38. If he started to tumble them about, they would join forces against him. The result would be a rough-and-tumble combat, endangering the safety of various articles of equipment scattered39 about the tent.
“I’ll not give them any satisfaction,” thought Bob. “I’ll just turn in, and not say anything. They’ll be worried as to what I mean to do. And when my chance comes—”
Switching off the flashlight, and tossing the frog aside, he crawled back into his blankets. Once he believed he heard a subdued40 chuckle41, whether on the part of Frank or Jack he could not decide. But nothing was said to him.
As for the others, they felt foolish. Both experienced an uncomfortable sense that their practical-joke had been too startling in character. Besides, old Bob had robbed them of their enjoyment42 by refusing to display resentment43.
Presently, all three were asleep.
But Bob was first to wake. He had an infallible system. If he decided on retiring that he wanted to wake at a certain hour, at that hour he would wake. It is a power many people possess. Bob called it “setting his mental alarm clock.”
At four-thirty his eyes flew open and after a few seconds spent in collecting his thoughts, he carefully surveyed the interior of the tent without stirring or making a sound. Darkness had gone, and a dim gray light penetrated44 the tent walls, making it possible to distinguish objects. Bob could see his comrades, both sleeping soundly. He smiled in satisfaction.
Crawling out of his blankets, he dressed with infinite caution to avoid making any sound which might disturb the sleepers45. Then he stole away to the bearers’ camp. The Negroes still slept, but Bob shook Wimba into wakefulness and then held whispered consultation46 with him.
“Move fast, now,” he concluded, “so as to get ’em before they wake.”
Wimba, whose primitive47 nature took the keenest relish48 in practical jokes, nodded vigorously. Then he wakened half a dozen of the bearers and spoke49 to them in their own tongue. All grinned and several, glancing toward Bob sat at one side watching them, laughed outright50 and nodded as if in encouragement.
This was enough for Bob, who felt certain the surprise he was planning for his comrades, in return for the trick played upon him the previous night, would go through successfully, if only the Negroes did not delay overlong in their necessary preparations. Regarding the latter, however, a glance assured him there was not going to be any undue51 delay, for the Negroes selected were rapidly becoming most fearsome looking objects, as they daubed faces and bodies with the ghastly white clay used as war paint by the Kikuyu warrior52 when he is about to go on the warpath.
“All ready, baas,” reported Wimba, approaching Bob with one of the bepainted bearers trailing behind him and tying his wrists loosely behind his back. For Wimba was to appear to be taken prisoner by a party of Kikuyus from the Bone Crusher’s clan53, and to that end he was being tied up.
Bob was delighted with the speed displayed.
“Very good, Wimba,” he said. “I’ll slip back into my tent now and crawl into bed. Now, you’re sure you understand what to say?”
The jolly black laughed. “Oh, me un’erstand, baas. Him funny. Leave to Wimba.”
“Good,” said Bob. “Then I’ll be off. Do you follow in five minutes.”
As he approached his tent, Bob wondered whether his comrades had waked yet by any chance. It was too early for them. But if they had waked, and had noted his absence, the probability was they would become suspicious when Wimba and the “war party” appeared on the scene.
A hasty look about, however, reassured54 him. The boys had not moved from the positions in which he had left them. They were sleeping evenly. If either had been snoring, Bob would have suspected feigning55. But such was not the case.
Smiling satisfiedly, he hastily disrobed and got back into his “flea” bag. Hardly had he settled down again, than Wimba poked56 his head into the tent and, catching57 Bob’s meaning glance and nod of the head, shouldered his way inside, hands bound behind him. And close at his heels came six of the most fearful looking warriors58 one could find in all Africa.
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1
streaks
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| n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹 | |
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2
penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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3
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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5
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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6
mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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7
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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8
esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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9
arduous
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| adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的 | |
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10
fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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hopping
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| n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式 | |
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12
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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13
detest
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| vt.痛恨，憎恶 | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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antidotes
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| 解药( antidote的名词复数 )； 解毒剂； 对抗手段； 除害物 | |
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16
Ford
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| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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23
wriggled
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等） | |
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24
gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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reptile
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| n.爬行动物；两栖动物 | |
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glide
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| n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝 | |
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thigh
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| n.大腿；股骨 | |
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30
abdomen
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| n.腹，下腹(胸部到腿部的部分) | |
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verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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32
realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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33
jolt
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| v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸 | |
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34
insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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35
chagrined
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| adj.懊恼的，苦恼的v.使懊恼，使懊丧，使悔恨( chagrin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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37
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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38
discomfiture
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| n.崩溃；大败；挫败；困惑 | |
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39
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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40
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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41
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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42
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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43
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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44
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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45
sleepers
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| n.卧铺（通常以复数形式出现）；卧车( sleeper的名词复数 )；轨枕；睡觉（呈某种状态）的人；小耳环 | |
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46
consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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47
primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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48
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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49
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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50
outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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51
undue
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| adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的 | |
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52
warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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53
clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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54
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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55
feigning
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| 假装，伪装( feign的现在分词 )； 捏造（借口、理由等） | |
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56
poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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57
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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58
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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