CHAPTER XIII
IN THE PIGMY VILLAGE
As Mr. Wallace had predicted, they were up long before the sun. After ahasty breakfast by candle light John discarded his role of chef andbuckled on a cartridge belt. As their gun-bearers and a dozen portersassembled, two hunters came in from the village to guide them to theplace where the giraffes had been seen and the boys bade Mr. Wallacefarewell.
A five-mile walk through rough and thickly wooded African country is nota light task by any means. In the main they followed trails where heavyanimals had beaten down the thick grass and left openings through thebush. They saw little game for the first hour, although once a bigpython slid across the path and Burt missed him.
"Won't we have a yarn when we get home?" said Burt, gleefully. "We'llrun some great little old stories in the high school paper next year,eh?"
"Bet your life!" replied Critch. "I'd like to bottle some o' them blamedlittle red ants and use 'em for initiations. Wouldn't they make thefellows squirm?"
"Say, don't forget to swap some of Mvita's men out o' their stuff. Wewant to take home a good bunch o' them spears, Critch. A couple o'shields and knives'd go great too."
"No talk-talk now, massa Burt!" John turned to them warningly. "Himgiraffe not beri far. Maybe hear."
The hunters had slipped through the tall grass and vanished. It was nowtwo hours after daylight and the boys knew they must be getting near thehunting grounds. They were no longer in the plain and were advancing bya buffalo-trail through a low jungle-growth not far from a small river.
One of the hunters appeared in a highly excited state and John motionedto the boys to get out their guns. They now advanced more cautiously asthey saw the Bantus in front gesturing to them and in another momentsighted two giraffes standing in an open glade ahead.
As the boys raised their guns something flashed out from the fartherside of the thicket and both animals gave a leap. Without stopping tothink what it was the boys fired. Burt hit the animal on the right andhe dropped to his knees, then bounded off and the boy brought him downwith his second barrel. Critch had hit the other giraffe in the brainand killed him instantly.
The boys sprang forward with a shout of joy but were stopped by John'svoice. "Come back!" cried the big Liberian. "Pigmies in there."
"What!" Critch whirled incredulously. "Where?"
"Them shoot arrows first. Maybe mad 'cause we kill giraffes. Go backquick--"
The hurried order was stopped by a frenzied yell from the Bantus. Darkobjects flitted through the trees at their side and the hunters broke inwild fear. Before the boys could stir in their tracks they saw John reeland fall suddenly. At the same time something struck and threw them tothe ground, and despite their struggles they were bound hand and footwhile skins thrown around their heads made them gasp for light and air.
It was all done so swiftly that Burt hardly realized what had happenedbefore he felt himself picked up and carried off. He could not know thatCritch was close behind him and he was in an agony of suspense. Had hischum and big John been killed? He tried to call out but the skin aroundhis head stifled him. He could hear nothing save an occasional gutturalclicking word from his bearers and was forced to resign himself to hisfate.
It seemed that he was borne along for ages. His head was protected, butmosquitoes and gnats settled on his bound hands until his arms seemed tobe dipped in living flame. Then he heard his captors splashing throughshallow water and knew that they were crossing the river into the junglebeyond. After this they slipped through thorn-laden bushes that rippedhis clothes to shreds, and once a black wasp's sting drew a groan ofpain from the boy, for the touch was like hot iron to his hand.
He did not doubt for a moment that he was captured by pigmies. If onlythey had grasped John's warning an instant sooner! Burt groaned again ashe remembered how the big Liberian had reeled and fallen. And whatwould his uncle do? The thought gave him sudden hope. His uncle wouldknow he had been carried off, surely! But if Captain Mac had failed topenetrate the jungle even with his "pull," how could he look to hisuncle for rescue?
Suddenly Burt felt himself thrown roughly to the ground. His bonds werecut and the skin pulled from about his head. As he sat up a strangesight greeted his startled gaze.
Critch sat beside him, rubbing his inflamed hands grimly. All aroundthem stood little men hardly four feet tall. They were armed withknives, spears and bows and were naked save for waist-cloths. Each manwore a square-shaped headdress and all were chattering away with theirpeculiar guttural clicks. Most of them had arm rings and neck rings ofiron or brass.
Beyond them were a number of low huts four feet high arranged in a roughcircle and in the center of this circle were the boys. When Burt glancedat the faces of the men around him he was surprised to find them notblack but brown, with wide-set eyes and frank expressions. The villagewas set in the semi-gloom of the deep jungle.
"Well," grunted Critch, "nice mess, ain't it?"
"What'll they do with us?" queried Burt anxiously. "Golly, my hands arefierce! S'pose uncle'll find us?"
"Search me," replied Critch. "What happened to John?"
"Don't talk about it. I don't know." Burt shuddered. "Wonder if theyspeak French?"
Burt addressed the pigmies in that language. They chattered excitedly inresponse but he could make nothing of their words. They seemed to beperplexed as to what disposition to make of their prisoners, for oneafter another chattered angrily while the rest shook their heads.
"Ain't a bad looking lot at that," commented Critch coolly. "Highforeheads and good eyes, most of 'em. Look at their color, Burt! S'posethey're the white pigmies?"
"No," replied Burt. "Guess they're Wambuti. Cap'n Mac said they lookedlike this. By golly! I got it!"
Seizing a stick that lay beside him the boy attracted the attention ofthe dwarfs. As they watched him curiously he drew a loop in the groundwith the end of the stick. From the loop he extended an arm and drewanother across. A startled silence fell on the pigmies as they watched.
"Pongo!" shouted Critch suddenly. "Bet she works, old man!"
At sight of the sacred emblem and at his shout something like a groan offear and horror went up from the pigmies. Instantly one, who had ahigher headdress and wore more ornaments than the rest, stepped forwardand spoke excitedly. When Burt shook his head and repeated the sacredword a spasm of anger flashed across the pigmy's face and he motionedthem to rise. One of the little men darted off into the jungle as theboys were led to a hut and made to enter.
They crouched down in the dark cramped interior and as they did so apigmy thrust some roasted bananas in at the door. The boys got outsideof these without delay and as they still had their canteens of coffeethey began to feel more cheerful.
"That was a rotten poor idea," said Critch disgustedly. "Wish we'd shutup 'bout Pongo."
"If we had we might be in the soup by now," laughed Burt. "Got thatcamphor bottle with you? Mine's busted."
Each of the boys carried a small bottle of camphor while away from thecamp. The camphor was a good thing for bites and assisted in keeping offmany insects. Critch found his bottle intact and they bathed theirhands. Fortunately their pith helmets had not been knocked off by theskins thrown around them and these afforded their faces some protection,although the nets were badly torn.
"I'm going to try getting out of this," asserted Critch as the timepassed on without anything stirring without. "Too blamed hot in here forme."
He crawled to the door and stuck out his head, then withdrew it sosuddenly that he fell back over Burt. "Gosh!" he cried. "There's afellow out there with a spear and he pretty near stuck me. It's got thatblack stuff on it, too! Guess I'll stay in here a while. You can go outfor a walk if you want."
"No thanks," grinned Burt faintly. "It ain't exactly inviting outside,I judge. I put my foot in it all right when I mentioned Cap'n Mac'sfriend. Wonder what they'll do with us?"
The afternoon wore away slowly and painfully and merged into nightsuddenly. More of the ro
asted bananas were thrust in at the door,together with some water and mashed-up beans. The little hut was barelylarge enough to allow the boys to stretch out and as it became evidentthat they were not to be visited that night they made themselves ascomfortable as possible and finally got to sleep. They suffered littlefrom insects because not only was the hut closely thatched and plasteredwith mud, but there was a fire outside the door.
Burt was awakened by a tug at his foot. Sitting up with a startledexclamation he saw a pigmy blocking the door. It was evidently longafter daybreak, for even the darkest recesses of the pigmy village wereshowing some light. Burt aroused Critch and the latter followed himthrough the door.
Outside they found apparently the whole tribe assembled. Men, women andchildren stood or squatted around in a big circle and as the boysemerged they were greeted by a rippling click. Whether it was of fear oranger the boys could not tell. They stood and stretched their crampedlimbs.
"Seem to be looking for some one," said Critch. In fact the pigmies weremany of them gazing expectantly toward the end of the village, wherethere was an opening in the circle of huts. As the boys followed theirlooks curiously Burt recognized the little warrior who had darted offthe previous afternoon. He was advancing quickly from the jungle andbehind him were a number of others.
"By golly, they're white!" exclaimed Critch.
"Can't be--yes, they are!" Burt cried in excitement. He saw that the sixmen who followed the pigmy were no larger than he, but they were of adistinctly lighter color. They were also better dressed and carriedlarger and stronger bows. The foremost was seemingly a very young man.
They advanced rapidly and when they reached the circle of villagers thelatter struck their heads against the ground and clicked as if in fear.The white pigmies were first shown the two boys, then were taken to thesign of the _ankh_ which Burt had scratched on the ground the daybefore. When they saw this the six gave low exclamations and the youngone advanced to the side of the boys.
"You know Pongo?" he said in English. The boys gave a shout of joy athearing the words but repressed it as a dozen spears were poised.
"Yes!" cried Burt, sitting down again hastily. "Cap'n Mac told us.Say--"
"Hold on!" interrupted Critch excitedly. "Are you Mbopo?"
"Mbopo!" the young pigmy repeated with evident delight. "Where knowthat? You know Buburika Mac?"
"Yes," replied Burt. He spoke slowly and distinctly in order to make thepigmy understand and supplemented his words with gestures. "He's offthat way. These people killed his party a few days ago and nearly killedhim. They attacked us and brought us here yesterday."
"Hurt Buburika?" demanded the pigmy angrily. He turned and poured out aflood of words at the darker pigmies who howled and beat the ground withtheir heads. One of his own men stepped forward and spoke a few wordsand the young man turned to the boys again.
"I friend," he said gently. "No can help much. You slave--go to Pongo."
"To Pongo!" cried Burt in dismay. But he quickly rallied. "Where'd youlearn English?"
"Buburika," smiled the young fellow proudly. "Buburika--Leopard, littleleopard. Him like me. Me help him. Help you maybe. Buburika Mac himPongo too."
The other white pigmies chattered something and Mbopo motioned to theboys to follow them. The black ones brought out the guns taken from theboys, together with the cartridges and knives. These Mbopo's men tookcare of and with the young pigmy at their side the boys were marchedaway from the village of the brown tribe.
"No talkee," cautioned Mbopo. In a moment they were hidden from sight orsound of the village. All about them rose the dense jungle growth. Greattrees stretched high above them with their boughs meeting overhead,matted with creepers and vines. Only an occasional ray of sunlightfiltered through that vast canopy of foliage under which leaped andchattered flocks of monkeys. Tiny bees tormented them through the tornplaces in their nets.
Every few yards they had to climb half rotted tree trunks studded withbriary creepers and alive with ants. They passed stagnant swamps andpools covered with greasy green scum and emitting vile odors. Once ortwice a black pigmy appeared silently, received a sign from Mbopo, andvanished again without a word. That vast silence oppressed the boysterribly and they were heartily glad when they arrived at a villagesimilar to that they had left, and halted for dinner.
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