CHAPTER V
TWO NEW FRIENDS
Baby Jane was waked up by the Lion giving her a gentle lick on thecheek.
'We must pack up our luggage and be off early,' said he. 'I have lookedout, and there is nothing in sight, but there was the sound of hundredsof stealthy footfalls round the bush in the night.'
Then he waked the others, and they set to work to pack up theirbelongings--there were all the Bear's belongings, and, of course, theirtoys.
While they were having breakfast--it was lucky that everything grewready cooked, so to speak, and even the bread-fruit grew ready toastedin this very hot country--they held a council of war.
'We must go far away from the Black Mountains until we have got togethera big army of beasts with good natures. Then we will come back,' saidBaby Jane, who was brave enough now that the sun was shining and noenemy in sight, 'and if the Black Mountain creatures won't be good,well, we shall have to make them.'
Whistling 'Lochaber No More.']
On they tramped, without speaking, all the morning, with their bundleson their heads, and the Light-Horse did not make matters more cheerfulby whistling 'Lochaber No More,' breaking the sad tune now and then witha stifled sob.
It must be here remarked that this animal was now addressed as 'MaryCarmichael,' after the tragic part she had taken in the tableauxvivants, for to call such a dark and heavy-minded creature a 'Light'horse was absurd.
Later in the morning they were suddenly startled by a strange apparitionthat came up over a hillock towards them. They all made a rampart oftheir bundles and prepared for the worst, but it was nothing moreterrible than a small costermonger driving a donkey in a barrow, piledfull of bits of glittering rock. The donkey kicked violently after everytwo or three steps, and at every kick the barrow-load of stones rattledfearfully, and the small coster brought down a flat piece of wood on thedonkey's back, and abused it in the rudest way.
'What ho, there!' squeaked the driver on his approach after the mannerof the olden times. 'Where's the tent for the circus?'
'We're not a circus,' said Baby Jane indignantly, 'and you are much moreodd-looking than we. What are you doing here?'
'Well, you see,' said he, 'the geranium business at home is overcrowded,and so Edouardo and I--his name in full is Edouardo de Frisky, becauseof his voice; there is a singer named that or something like it--havecome out here and gone into the gold-mine business. There's a littlegold-mine in the cart now; we gave one-and-tenpence for it, and we aregoing to sell it--all except the good parts--for sixpence a piece. Itell you it is better even than the strawberry business, with eightstrawberries on the top and all the rest leaves. And what game are youplaying?'
Baby Jane said she was not playing any game, and rather shyly explainedher mission, expecting the little coster to jeer; but, though he wasonly moderately honest and very ill-mannered, he was a good-heartedlittle fellow.
'Now that's a fine thing to do,' said he warmly, 'and I'm your man. I'lltip the rubbish out of my barrow and come along with you.'
Then he added confidentially, 'But we might turn them into a circusafterwards and make a lot of money.'
And so Sammy and Edouardo joined the family, and they journeyed ontogether.
At first the other creatures looked askance at Edouardo, but after awhile they found he was an animal of great character, and made friendswith him--all except Mary Carmichael, who chose to be jealous--but theBear was his great chum.
Of course the barrow was a great delight to the party, but they were soeager to ride in it that they nearly broke it by all crowding intogether. They took it in turns to put on the harness and pull, exceptthe Rabbit, Patsey, and the Piccaninny, and they, not being able to taketheir turn in pulling, were not allowed to ride properly, but had tohang on at the back on the sly, until Miss Crocodile noticed them andcried 'Whip behind!'
The Lion was too much engaged with Edouardo to hear her, and so she hadto slap them herself.
This seemed very unjust to the three, and Miss Crocodile's slaps hurtthem still more, so they lagged some way behind and plotted together tobe avenged on Miss Crocodile.
Of course, if Baby Jane had seen, she would have set things right, butshe was walking on ahead with Sammy, discussing how they should collectan army, and planning new instruction for the creatures in the meantime.
They had got so far ahead as to be almost out of sight of the party inthe barrow, who steered a very roundabout course, when they came upon ayoung but vicious-looking hippopotamus lying in wait behind a cactusbush--evidently a spy sent after them by the Black Mountain band. Withits mouth wide open it made a rush at them, and Baby Jane in terrorcollapsed on the ground and covered her face. But the fierce brute hadnot considered that it had to reckon with an English boy, and with onewho knew how to box.
She had to slap them herself.]
Standing before the little girl in a skilful attitude of defence, as thehippopotamus came on, Sammy chucked it under the chin, as it were, withall the strength of his arm, and down it went with a dull bump thatshook the ground, the most surprised hippopotamus you ever saw. Nosecond blow was needed; the beast rolled itself on to its feet, andmuttering dreadful threats--quite indistinctly, for it had bitten itstongue in a painful way--rushed away across the desert towards the BlackMountains.
Sammy chucked it under the chin, as it were.]
'You are a brave boy,' said Baby Jane softly, looking up at Sammy.
'Oh, it's nothing,' he said, but he turned very red with pride.
When the creatures came to hear of this deed they were all mad to learnhow to box, so, at the halt for dinner, Sammy produced a set of boxinggloves and gave them lessons. After they were taught they practisedamong themselves. Then, as Baby Jane had feared, there was a squabble.No gloves could temper the hardness of Mary Carmichael's hoofs, andwhen, with an irritating sadness of expression, she hit the lion in theeye, that creature could stand it no longer. So they had to be forbiddento use their skill except against an enemy. Of course they all longed todo so, but the Rabbit was very wrong to do as he did. It was the act ofa bully.
Searching about among the sandhills, he came upon a little ducksquatting beside a pool, and without any reason whatever, for the duckwas perfectly inoffensive, he made the most insulting remark, and, whenthe duck mildly retorted, he set upon it and pummelled it cruelly.
Luckily Baby Jane caught him in the act, and, picking him up by thescruff of his neck, gave him such slaps that his fat little ribs soundedlike a drum.
When she set him down he rushed in a bad, sulky mood to his friends.
Now for some time Miss Crocodile had been dozing beside the barrow, forher arms were too short to protect her long nose, so that boxing was anunpleasant amusement for her. This was the three conspirators'opportunity.
A little later Baby Jane and the others, who were some little way off,were startled by the loud rattle of the approaching barrow and by wild,triumphant shrieks.
Then, with her eyes starting out of her head--even more than ever--MissCrocodile, fully harnessed, went flying past, and behind, clingingtogether in the barrow, sat the three conspirators wild with excitementand delight.
They had slipped the shafts over her and harnessed her while shedozed. Then they perched in a row upon the seat, and when all wasready--one--two--three--and all together!--they brought a board down onthe full length of her back with a clap like thunder.
Startled from her beauty-sleep, she sprang away like a hare, and scouredthe plain in whirling circles.
Unluckily for the Rabbit and his friends, in one of these wildwhirlings, the very pond beside which he had ill-used the duck suddenlyappeared before them.
Three draggled little creatures crawled out.]
Crash! Splash! Miss Crocodile, now cooled and quieted, came out on thefar side, drawing the overturned barrow behind her, and then threelittle round heads appeared in a row above the water, all driving forthe shore, and a moment later three draggled little creatures crawledou
t amid the laughter of the others.
Baby Jane dried them for fear they should catch cold, but, except thatshe rubbed them till they squeaked, she forebore from adding to theirpunishment.
After that, they set the barrow straight and proceeded quietly, pausingevery now and again for Sammy to explain a lecture on hop-scotch byexamples. Baby Jane herself had never played the game, and thought itfun, for a change, to be a pupil. They soon grew so excited that theyhad to stop and play a little hop-scotch tournament.
Coolness is half the battle in games, and again Mary Carmichael provedher prowess, and was proclaimed champion hop-schotcher of the SouthernSahara. Perhaps Sammy himself could have won easily, but Baby Jane madehim a little sign, and, like the young sportsman that he was, he did notspoil the game, but allowed himself to be beaten.
'But _you_ know I could have won, Miss?' he asked anxiously of Baby Janewhen it was over.
'Of course I do,' said she; 'you were very unselfish'; which quitesatisfied Sammy.
This caused a good deal of delay, and they made up for it by hurrying ata great rate afterwards. Nevertheless they contrived even then to amusethemselves as they went, for the ingenious Sammy had thought ofleap-frog.
It was a picturesque sight.]
It was a picturesque sight. Like a river of living waves they flowedacross the desert--occasionally a wave broke, but generally they pursuedthe even tenor of their way. Poor Baby Jane felt that it would beunladylike to play, so had to keep company with Edouardo, who had a mindabove leap-frog, with the barrow.
'If only I had my gymnasium things with me!' she sighed.
By this time it was growing dusk, and they could not clearly see theirway. It must have been partly for this reason, and partly because theywere carried away by the excitement of the game, that--horrible torelate!--a gully suddenly yawned before them, and, before the leadingleapers could give warning, the living river was changed into a livingcascade, which poured over the brink and down with a rush and rattle tothe bottom. Luckily, there was a thick bed of ferns and moss to receivethem; but as it was, the lowest layer of creatures had all the breathbumped out of them by the shower of heavy bodies that dropped plump uponthem.
You may know how it rains cats and dogs, but you can hardly imagine itraining the whole 'Zoo.'
Edouardo, who was drawing the barrow, pulled up on the very brink of theprecipice; but with such a jerk that, alas for Baby Jane, she performeda wilder somersault than she had dreamt of, even in a nightmare, andlanded on the top of the pile.
It took some time to unbuild the pyramid, because the lowest layerheaved so strongly that it upset the upper layer as they tried to rise.
But, after a while, they were all upon their feet again, bruised,panting, possibly a little flatter and wider than before, but otherwiseunhurt.
Then they began to look about for a way out of the gully. It was verydeep and narrow, but not very long, and they had soon explored itthoroughly, and made a terrible discovery--there was no way out but upthe smooth, upright sides. Up above they saw Edouardo's head cut out inblack against the darkening sky, as he peered helplessly over the edge.
Mary Carmichael set up a shrill wail, but the others all looked verysolemn and stood in a circle round Baby Jane gazing at her, as she stoodwith her hands over her face trying to make her little brains work morequietly and calmly. Now out of all the hours of her life she most neededall her little stock of memory and knowledge. What would a grown-upperson do in such a plight? But no thoughts would come, and her chinsank lower on her breast.
'Only magic can save us,' said the Lion at last. 'Does any one know of aspell?'
The party all racked their brains, but nothing came of it.
Suddenly Baby Jane uncovered her face.
'Yes, I know of a _real_ spell,' she said smiling, and then with herface turned frankly up to the narrow sky she uttered a few words, whichthe creatures could not understand, and which puzzled Sammy. 'Now wehave only got to wait,' said she.
Still the eagle rose.]
Soon afterwards a most wonderful thing happened. Overhead suddenly therecame the sound of rushing wings, and a gigantic eagle, who had seen thedisaster from afar, swooped into the ravine, and, clutching the Bear,was rising with him, when the Lion made a grab at the Bear's feet, andhe too was borne upwards. Then Mary Carmichael clasped her forelegsround the Lion, and she ascended also. One after another they seized thelast pair of legs, and rose until the whole band was dangling from theBear's legs. Still the eagle rose, now very like a kite with a longtail, and would have soared with them all into the air had not Edouardoon the top of the precipice seized the last pair of legs as they swayedtowards him. That was the last straw, and the eagle let fall the stringof creatures with a flop upon the open desert--they were saved!
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