nging and laughing, and making
himself agreeable at a very uncommon rate, so much so as to call forth
our surprise.

"Mak seems to be mad to-day," observed Peterkin, as one of our guide's
jovial laughs rang through the wood and was echoed by his new
acquaintances.

"Bees him not always so?" inquired the Portuguese.

"He's always hearty enough," replied Jack, "but I must confess I never
saw him in such high spirits as he seems to be in just now. It must be
the effect of meeting with new faces, I suppose."

"Ah! s'pose so," remarked the trader.

I was struck with the manner in which this was said. There was a tone
of affected indifference, such as one assumes when making a passing
remark, but at the same time a dark frown rested for one moment on his
brow, and he cast a piercing vindictive glance at our guide. Next
moment he was smiling blandly and making some humorous remark to
Peterkin.

I looked at my companions, but they had evidently not observed this
little piece of by-play. It seemed to me so unaccountable, considering
that the two men had never met before, that I resolved to watch them. I
soon observed that Makarooroo's mirth was forced, that he was in fact
acting a part, and I noticed once or twice that he also cast an
occasional stealthy and piercing glance at the Portuguese. It
afterwards turned out that both men had been acting the same part, and
that each had suspected what the other was doing.

When our meal was concluded we prepared to resume our separate routes.

"I goes to de west," observed the Portuguese, in a casual way, as he
buckled on the belt that supported his hunting-knife.

"Indeed! I had understood you to say that you were going south."

"No; you not have onderstand me. I goes to de west, ver' long way."

"Then, sir, I wish you a safe and pleasant journey," said Jack, lifting
his cap.

"De same to you, sairs, an' goot plenty of gorillas to you. Farder nord
dey be more plenty. Adieu!"

We took off our caps to each other, and saying farewell, we turned away,
and soon lost sight of the party.

"Ho! de yaller-faced villain," exclaimed Makarooroo between his clinched
teeth, after we were out of earshot.

"Why, what's wrong, Mak?" inquired Peterkin, in great surprise.

"Ho! noting porteekler," replied the guide, with an air and tone of
sarcasm that quite amused us. "Hims not go sout', ho no! hims go west,
ho yis! Hims advise us to go nort', ho dear! dat bery clibber, b