The whole thing happened in less than a moment. As Burt recovered from his surprise the pigmies were still prostrate1 in the attitude of worship. Beside him lay the branding iron, unheeded. With a quick motion the boy stooped and caught it up, whirled it around, and sent it flying across the zareba. Then he turned to Mbopo.
"Now make good!" he exclaimed, as a murmur2 arose from the crowd at his action. "You're the boss, Mbopo!"
As though he had understood the words, the young pigmy sprang to his feet and began to speak rapidly in the clicking language of the dwarfs3. For a moment there was a surge of the warriors5 toward the captives, then it was stopped. Mbopo spoke6 more and more rapidly, and finished his speech by seizing a spear from the nearest man and leaping on the throne of skins, where he stood in an attitude of defiance7. For a moment[Pg 190] the crowd seemed stupefied by surprise. Then went up two bark-like notes from every throat, and once more the pigmies sank prostrate in the dust, saluting8 their new chief.
"Looks that way," replied the flushed Burt, who had feared a speedy retribution for his rash act. Mbopo said a few more words, and again the peculiar10 bark-like guttural came from the crowd. There was a movement, and a dozen of the largest warriors, those who had formed the bodyguard11 of the old chief, stepped forward and saluted12 the new chief with a prostration13. Mbopo had seized the throne.
"Now I wonder what'll happen?" said Critch. "Say, did you notice that lion's head, Burt?"
"Sure," nodded his chum. "It was all scarred white. Funny the way he butted14 through that thorn fence, wasn't it? Just like he didn't see it."
"I'll bet the scar came from the oil Cap'n Mac threw at him!" cried Critch excitedly. "Mebbe it—"
"That's it!" exclaimed Burt. "He's blind! He couldn't see the zareba but[Pg 191] he could smell all right. That's it; he's blind!"
"Hurray!" shouted Critch. Before he could say any more a murmur from the crowd stopped him. The conversation of the two captives had not passed unobserved. One of the old men came forward, saluted the chief, and began to speak. The crowd signified their approval by repeated clicks and Mbopo also nodded while the wondering boys watched.
The old man finished his speech. Mbopo stood in silence for a moment and then gave an order. To the astonishment15 of the boys they were surrounded and bound hand and foot in a flash, and laid at the feet of the chief.
"No fash yerself, lad," came the familiar voice from above them in reassuring16 tones. "Mbopo help mebbe. Kill Pongo."
The bewildered boys lay silent. Burt tried in vain to reason out what was the reason for their seizure17. He was convinced that Mbopo was their friend, and yet it might well be that the pigmies had demanded a sacrifice to Pongo from the new ruler and that Mbopo had yielded.
Then came another order, and the boys were picked up by a dozen hands.[Pg 192] They were carried away from the fires and through rows of grass huts to the gateway18 of the zareba. This was opened, and Burt felt a thrill of fear as he realized that they were being carried outside. Were they to be staked out for the lion as Captain Mac had been?
The two were carried forward side by side, and at length were dropped on the ground. Then followed a clicking conversation, then the warriors retired19 and Mbopo leaned over them, knife in hand.
"Kill Pongo," he whispered cheeringly as he cut their bonds. "Mbopo help. Old chief vera bad mon. Mbopo him chief."
"Well, of all things!" ejaculated Critch as he sat up and rubbed his wrists. "What does it mean, Burt?"
"Why," responded Burt slowly, "I guess Mbopo has a notion that we can kill the lion by magic. We've run quite a bluff20 and I guess we'll have to make good, old man. What'll we do?"
Critch looked around. The night was oppressively silent save for the sound of drums and chanting from the village. They were sitting halfway[Pg 193] between the town and the sacred hut, which could barely be made out in the starlight.
"If we could only get inside that hut," returned the red-haired boy, "without finding the lion there, we might wait for him with some poisoned arrows. We'll never see our rifles again, that's sure."
"The lion is blind, I guess," said Burt doubtfully, "but I'd hate to stand up to him with nothin' but a bow and arrow. Besides, d'you remember what Cap'n Mac said? They don't use poison here."
"That's right!" Critch turned to Mbopo. "You got poison, spears, arrows?" He had to repeat the question several times before the dwarf4 could comprehend his meaning. When he did so, Mbopo shook his head, saying that he had none.
"I don't b'lieve he's got you yet," said Burt disgustedly. "Well, we got to make good somehow, Critch. If Mbopo gets the notion that we've been running a bluff it's good night for us."
"Are you game to tackle the hut?" asked Critch shortly. "We're taking a chance on findin' Pongo at home, but it's all I can see to do. Anyhow, Burt, he ain't very hungry just now."[Pg 194]
"I s'pose not," and Burt shuddered21 a trifle. "Come on then," and he rose to his feet. "Say! Why couldn't Mbopo bring us some weapons? If we had one o' them axes—"
"That's the talk!" burst out Critch. "If we had a couple o' men with axes, Burt, we could make a trap for the old lion! How's that?"
"Fine!" replied Burt hopefully. "Have to make it out o' pretty big logs, though. If the lion isn't inside, we can make a fire an' scare him off for a while anyhow."
"Lot o' good that'd do," grunted23 his chum. "He wouldn't know there was any fire there unless he walked into it!"
Burt turned to Mbopo. By dint24 of constant repetition and much patience he finally made the dwarf understand that he wanted another man or two and some weapons. Mbopo hesitated, then handed over a small axe22 that was slung25 at his waist.
"Me got bruder," he replied at length. "Bring him, bring plenty spear, hey?"
"That's it," exclaimed Burt. "Bring 'em over there, see?" and he pointed26 toward the sacred hut.[Pg 195]
"Mebbe so, pretty quick," asserted the dwarf, rather doubtfully. "Kill Pongo?"
"You bet," answered Critch, a good deal more confidently than he felt, patting the dwarf on the shoulder. "Chase along now, old scout27. We'll kill Pongo right enough!"
"Vera good," replied Mbopo. The next instant he was lost in the darkness, and Burt turned to his chum.
"Well, we might as well die game," he said, with an attempt at a smile. "Ready?"
"I s'pose so," responded Critch, who had suddenly lost his confident manner. "Get your matches ready."
The two boys started toward the sacred hut. Both were extremely stiff and sore, and in sad need of sleep. The sound of chanting and the throb28 of tom-toms came from the village behind without interruption, while in front of them was the forest, silent and black and somber29. Suddenly the black hut with its dull gray stockade30 loomed31 up before them.
"Who's goin' first?" asked Burt, half-heartedly.
"I will," volunteered Critch. Holding a match ready, he entered the[Pg 196] narrow gate of the ivory zareba. The little enclosure around the thatch32 hut was empty, and before them loomed a small black doorway33. Critch, with one swift gesture, scratched the match and flung it inside, stooping to look after it. The brief flame gave them a rapid vista34 of bare walls and floor.
Ashamed of his own timidity, Burt stepped past him without a word. As he went, he lit a match and held it on high. Tearing a piece of the loose thatch from the walls, he lit it and cast it on the floor and then the two boys looked around.
The hut was much larger than the other dwellings36 of the white pigmies. The floor was littered with bones, leaves, sticks and dirt of every description. Close inside the door stood three earthenware37 vessels38, and while Burt threw more leaves and sticks on the little fire, Critch picked up one of these.
"Palm oil!" he cried. "Here's a light, Burt! Put a strip of cloth in each of these and we'll have elegant lamps."
In another moment each of the three improvised39 lamps was burning[Pg 197] faintly, while the fire also flared40 up. As it did so Burt gave an exclamation41.
"Say, I clear forgot about the mummy! There she is, Critch."
He pointed to the wall opposite the entrance, holding up his "lamp." Both walked across the rubbish-littered floor, which smelt42 most frightfully. Before them, standing43 erect44 against the wall, was a large wooden mummy-case. Most of its paint was gone long since, only a few faint traces of gilding45 remaining to show what it must once have been. Beside this lay an object that brought a whistle of amazement46 from Critch.
"That's Pongo, Burt! The golden ankh, sure's you're born!"
The boys looked down in awe47 at this relic48 of an ancient people. About four feet long and nearly as thick as Burt's wrist, the symbol of the Goddess of Truth gleamed up with a ruddy yellow color from the dirt that half covered it. Fascinated by the sight, the boys stared in silence until at last Critch uttered a sigh.
"Well, we're wastin' time, Burt. We got to plan out that trap."
Burt turned away from the two relics49, and threw some dry sticks on the[Pg 198] fire. There was an opening in the center of the roof through which the smoke escaped fairly well. Burt's head was full of the mummy, and for the moment he paid no attention to his chum's remark.
"It's kind of queer," he remarked, sitting down against the wall, "to think of Ta-En-User meeting us this way! Just think of his trip clear over from Egypt, and our trip clear over from—"
"Shucks," interrupted the more practical Critch. "I'm thinking of Pongo right now. Come out of it! We've got to frame up something before Mbopo gets back."
"I can't see what there is to frame up," retorted Burt hopelessly. "All we can do is to lay low. What kind of a trap you thinking of?"
"Well," explained Critch, frowning, "I kind of thought we could make one out of logs, like they use on bears out West."
"Why wouldn't it be better," suggested Burt, "to dig a pit like those Bantus do? We could dig it right out in front here, cover it over with grass, and stick a spear up in the bottom. That'd finish Mr. Pongo mighty50 sudden next time he came around."[Pg 199]
"Can't do that," replied the other. "It's a mighty big job to tackle, Burt. If you'd ever dug holes for fence posts you'd know."
"I wonder what Uncle George is doing right now?" said Burt suddenly. "Do you think he'll start after us?"
"He might," answered Critch doubtfully. "He'd never make it in a million years though. You know what the black dwarfs did to Cap'n Mac. Say, this is worse than any story book I ever read! We're right up against it solid, Burt. If we pull out of this hole it'll mean work. We ain't got your uncle to lean on or anyone else. Mbopo don't count for much, I'm afraid. Gosh, I wish we had a couple guns! We could clean up on old Pongo like a house afire."
"He was pretty big, just the same," said Burt. "Lot's bigger'n any we've bagged so far. Even if he is blind, which we aren't sure of, it wouldn't be any cinch to tackle him."
"Anyhow," retorted his chum, "we can't expect to lay around and wait for something to happen. We got to make it happen. We're in possession of the ankh, like Cap'n Mac was, so we're safe enough for the present. Mbopo's the only one who's game to go after Pongo, that's sure.[Pg 200] If his brother is up to the mark we ought to do something."
"That was fierce, the way the old chief got carried off," remarked Burt as he gazed around with a little shiver. Still the dull throb of the drums came faintly from without, but the chanting had now ceased. "It was mighty lucky for us, just the same. Don't it seem funny, that here we are plannin' to kill Pongo right after he's saved our lives that way?"
"There's a whole lot of things that strike me funny," answered Critch. "Wouldn't it be great if we could carry off all this ivory and the gold ankh."
"Come on now, get down to business," said Critch, straightening up. "First, we got to figure on how many logs we'll need. I should think we might rig up something right here inside the ivory zareba, but I don't see quite how. We can't very well fix a trap out in the forest, because Pongo ain't liable to be hungry right away. It's queer that he didn't bring the old chief here like he brought Cap'n Mac. Mebbe he uses[Pg 201] this more as sleeping quarters, and prefers to take his meals out in the open air."
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1
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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2
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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3
dwarfs
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| n.侏儒，矮子（dwarf的复数形式）vt.（使）显得矮小（dwarf的第三人称单数形式） | |
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4
dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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6
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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7
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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8
saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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9
bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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10
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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11
bodyguard
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| n.护卫，保镖 | |
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12
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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13
prostration
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| n. 平伏, 跪倒, 疲劳 | |
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14
butted
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| 对接的 | |
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15
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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16
reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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17
seizure
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| n.没收；占有；抵押 | |
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18
gateway
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| n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法 | |
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19
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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20
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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21
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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22
axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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23
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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24
dint
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| n.由于，靠；凹坑 | |
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25
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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26
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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27
scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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28
throb
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| v.震颤，颤动；(急速强烈地)跳动，搏动 | |
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29
somber
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| adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的 | |
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30
stockade
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| n.栅栏，围栏；v.用栅栏防护 | |
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31
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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32
thatch
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| vt.用茅草覆盖…的顶部；n.茅草(屋) | |
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33
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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34
vista
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| n.远景，深景，展望，回想 | |
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35
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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36
dwellings
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| n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 ) | |
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37
earthenware
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| n.土器，陶器 | |
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38
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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39
improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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40
Flared
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| adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词 | |
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41
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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42
smelt
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| v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼 | |
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43
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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44
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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45
gilding
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| n.贴金箔，镀金 | |
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46
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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47
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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48
relic
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| n.神圣的遗物，遗迹，纪念物 | |
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49
relics
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| [pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸 | |
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50
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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51
stumped
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| 僵直地行走，跺步行走( stump的过去式和过去分词 )； 把（某人）难住； 使为难； （选举前）在某一地区作政治性巡回演说 | |
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