Part 23 (1/2)
”I had Mbopo stand on that pile of skins The _ankh_ and side hi hi up by this time They couldn't understand as up till I nodded to Mbopo and he began to speak
”Well, sir, he hadn't saidto the _ankh_ and the mummy, before them dwarfs let a howl out of 'e”
”Yes,” broke in Burt, ”I heard that It sure sounded awful”
”I reckon they _felt_ kind of awful,” grinned Critch contentedly ”I was scared stiff at first, honest It seemed so blaold and set up as a God on the strength of it! I soon got over being scared, though I could be chief o' that tribe right now if I wanted to!
”Mbopo went on explaining how you happened to be all dried up that way
The crowd turned several degrees whiter while he was talking It rown ot another idea
”I set Ta down gentle and reached out for Mbopo's hand It scared hiame I led him forward a step, then picked up the _ankh_ an'
stood it on end When I took Mbopo's hand again his knees were shaking, but I grinned at hi happened he just swelled up, an' looked at hing The crowd stared, but when they saw Mbopo standing there proud and confident, they hollered out their kind o' cheer--two sharp little barks”
”Heard that too,” nodded Burt ”Whew, I'd like to have seen all that, Critch! But didn't you get any sleep at all?”
”You bet I did!” was the reply ”Just as soon as I got things settled that way Mbopo ot him to understand that I wanted so hut There were lots of skins and stuff in there and I went to sleep right off I was pretty near dead I woke up at sunrise and got souess”
”Well, when are you going to resurrectaround here, I can tell you”
”You got to,” replied his chu, Burt! You can stay out here in the shade, can't you? The zareba hides you fro as you keep away froled to his feet, hiain ”Let's have a look at that zareba, Critch”
The two boys walked across the little open space and halted in front of the row of tusks Strands of thorn-bush were interwoven around, but the zareba was so low that the lion would have had no difficulty in leaping over it It was evidently intended more for show than for defence
”Those tusks don't look as if they orth taking away,” said Burt disgustedly ”Look at how old they are, and all cracked up!”
Indeed, the tusks seemed very ancient Their surface was not the sh and pitted with holes worn by the weather and insects
”They reed Critch ”But I don't know 'bout their not being worth taking off, Burt You knohen your uncle swapped Mvita for those old tusks o' his? They looked just like these, and your uncle isn't buying old tusks for his health Besides, Cap'n Mac was crazy about these If they hadn't been worth while he wouldn't--”
”That's so,” exclaiht on the inside We're liable to make some money out o' this trip yet”
”You talk just's if we had it cinched!” laughed his chuot to get back to the village now I'rub, but I want to 's safe I'll have to warn Mbopo not to cos up to resurrect you by to-night, anyhow”
”You'd better,” returned Burt, fastening his tattered shi+rt together after Critch's suggestion ”I'ht Why don't you get Mbopo out after Pongo with sohtfully ”I want to finish up your business first That'll tie everything down tight Then we can get busy with the lion I believe we'll pull out of this yet, Burt!”
”Sure ill,” laughed Burt, his spirits fully restored by this tiet soo easy with Mbopo If he gets a swelled head he ht make trouble”
”No chance of that,” replied Critch, pausing at the gateway ”He's aspecial you want?”
”Oh, nothin but a two-inch steak, a couple o' books, and a letter fro!” And as his churass under the hut wall, whose shadoould protect him from the sun He had come to care little for insects by this time, and in any case he was too weary to think about them