Part 19 (2/2)

Before a ave one quick sniff of the air, and pounced on the old chief, as struggling to rise To the surprise of the boys the crowd fell prostrate; a o!” went up, and a ave one bound and had vanished in the night, unharmed And with him went the chief of the white dwarfs

CHAPTER XV

THE IVORY ZAREBA

The whole thing happened in less than a mies were still prostrate in the attitude of worshi+p Beside hi iron, unheeded With a quick ht it up, whirled it around, and sent it flying across the zareba Then he turned to Mbopo

”Now ood!” he exclaimed, as a murmur arose from the crowd at his action ”You're the boss, Mbopo!”

As though he had understood the words, the young pigan to speak rapidly in the clicking language of the dwarfs

For a e of the warriors toward the captives, then it was stopped Mbopo spokea spear fro on the throne of skins, where he stood in an attitude of defiance For a moment the crowd seemed stupefied by surprise Then went up two bark-like notes fro their new chief

”Bully for hiht, Burt!”

”Looks that way,” replied the flushed Burt, who had feared a speedy retribution for his rash act Mbopo said a few uttural came froest warriors, those who had foruard of the old chief, stepped forward and saluted the new chief with a prostration Mbopo had seized the throne

”Noonder 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 butted 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 he could sht 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 an 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 ave an order To the astonishment 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,” ca tones ”Mbopo help o”

The bewildered boys lay silent Burt tried in vain to reason out as the reason for their seizure He was convinced that Mbopo was their friend, and yet it o from the new ruler and that Mbopo had yielded

Then came another order, and the boys were picked up by a dozen hands

They were carried away froateway 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 tere carried forward side by side, and at length were dropped on the ground Then followed a clicking conversation, then the warriors retired and Mbopo leaned over thely as he cut their bonds ”Mbopo help Old chief vera bad s!” ejaculated Critch as he sat up and rubbed his wrists ”What does it uess Mbopo has a notion that we can kill the lion by uess we'll have to ood, old ht was oppressively silent save for the sound of dru halfway between the town and the sacred hut, which could barely be ht