Part 17 (1/2)

CHAPTER XIII

IN THE PIGMY VILLAGE

As Mr Wallace had predicted, they were up long before the sun After a hasty breakfast by candle light John discarded his role of chef and buckled on a cartridge belt As their gun-bearers and a dozen porters asseuide theiraffes had been seen and the boys bade Mr Wallace farewell

A five-h and thickly wooded African country is not a light task by any means In the main they followed trails where heavy anis through the bush They saw little ga python slid across the path and Burt et horeat little old stories in the high school paper next year, eh?”

”Bet your life!” replied Critch ”I'd like to bottle some o' them blamed little red ants and use 'em for initiations Wouldn't they et to swap soood bunch o' theo great too”

”No talk-talk now, iraffe not beri far Maybe hear”

The hunters had slipped through the tall grass and vanished It was noo hours after daylight and the boys knew they er in the plain and were advancing by a buffalo-trail through a low jungle-growth not far frohly excited state and John uns They now advancedto the in an open glade ahead

As the boys raised their guns so flashed out froave a leap Without stopping to think what it was the boys fired Burt hit the aniht and he dropped to his knees, then bounded off and the boy brought hiiraffe in the brain and killed hi forith a shout of joy but were stopped by John's voice ”Comies in there”

”What!” Critch whirled incredulously ”Where?”

”Theiraffes Go back quick--”

The hurried order was stopped by a frenzied yell froh the trees at their side and the hunters broke in wild fear Before the boys could stir in their tracks they saw John reel and fall suddenly At the saround, and despite their struggles they were bound hand and foot while skins thrown around their heads ht and air

It was all done so swiftly that Burt hardly realized what had happened before he felt himself picked up and carried off He could not know that Critch was close behind hi John been killed? He tried to call out but the skin around his head stifled hi word fron hi for ages His head was protected, but nats settled on his bound hands until his ar flah shalloater and knew that they were crossing the river into the jungle beyond After this they slipped through thorn-laden bushes that ripped his clothes to shreds, and once a black wasp's sting drew a groan of pain from the boy, for the touch was like hot iron to his hand

He did not doubt for a rasped John's warning an instant sooner! Burt groaned again as he re Liberian had reeled and fallen And ould his uncle do? The thought gave him sudden hope His uncle would know he had been carried off, surely! But if Captain Mac had failed to penetrate the jungle even with his ”pull,” how could he look to his uncle for rescue?

Suddenly Burt felt hiround His bonds were cut and the skin pulled froreeted his startled gaze

Critch sat beside hirimly All around them stood little men hardly four feet tall They were armed with knives, spears and bows and were naked save for waist-cloths Eachaith their peculiar guttural clicks Most of thes of iron or brass

Beyond theh circle and in the center of this circle were the boys When Burt glanced at the faces of the men around him he was surprised to find them not black but broide-set eyes and frank expressions The village was set in the serunted Critch, ”nice mess, ain't it?”

”What'll they do with us?” queried Burt anxiously ”Golly, my hands are fierce! 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 they speak French?”