Part 49 (1/2)

And down from the trees they leapt--a score, at least, of hideous, long-armed, hairy gorillas.

If they did not possess the courage, they at all events had far more than the strength of ordinary men.

As they advanced they beat their b.r.e.a.s.t.s furiously, uttering savage cries.

”A clear head now!” shouted Duncan.

Both young fellows leaned their rifles against trees to make sure of their aim.

Br-rang! Br-rang!

The sound awakened the echoes of the ugly forest, and two gorillas fell dead.

There was a silence of fully fifteen seconds, and the boys went hurrying on again.

Then came wailings and howlings, as of grief, but these were quickly changed to yells of anger, and on they came once more. They soon overtook our two heroes, who, after firing with good effect, drew their revolvers and made a running battle of it.

Luckily they never once allowed these fiendish monsters to get into grips, else speedily indeed would they have been throttled to death.

Out into the suns.h.i.+ne, the glorious life-giving suns.h.i.+ne at last. And now they were safe. They crawled rather than walked as far as a little stream that trickled from a rock, and threw themselves down exhausted.

But youth soon recovers from exertion, and terror too, and so they finally found themselves back at the ruined fort loaded with both fruit and fish.

Happy indeed was Conal to see them, for, far away from the fort though the forest was, he had listened appalled to the awful medley of yells and shrieks, and made sure they were being murdered.

”Hillo!” cried Frank, cheerful once again--and hungry also--and it seems to me Frank was always hungry--”Hillo! Why, you have actually dinner ready?”

”Yes,” said Conal, laughing. ”Vike and I found some sweet-potatoes and we cooked these.”

”But that splendid fish you are broiling?”

”Ah! isn't she a beauty? But you should have seen the little girl who brought it, carrying it on a little gra.s.s rope. She was a beauty too.

And we had quite a little flirtation.”

”Conal! I'm--”

”Oh, are you, indeed? but I don't mind. I gave Umtomie--that's her pretty name--two lovely beads, and she sat there and sang to me, so sweetly! Then she brought me a calabash full of water, and, smiling over teeth quite as white and even as a pointer puppy's, she waved her hand, her lily hand--no, her raven hand--”

”That's more truthful, Con.”

”And off she trotted once again.”

”Then, I suppose,” said Frank, ”the suns.h.i.+ne went all out of your life, eh?”

”Well, there did seem to be a partial eclipse or something. But down you sit to chow-chow.”

Down they did sit, and a right hearty meal they made.