m to make a fire in the opening, and he must carry the poor little
fellow out."

"Oh, I have provided for that," said the doctor, and swinging round his
knapsack he took it off and opened it, and in a very few minutes he had
struck a match, which blazed up brightly and brought forth a low murmur
of excitement from the hidden pigmies who evidently surrounded them.

"Never saw a match before," said Mark, as if to himself, while directly
after as the wick of a little lamp burned up brightly behind the glass
which sheltered its flame, there was another murmur of astonishment and
a faint rustling sound as of a tiny crowd collecting to see this wonder
which gave light like a brand taken from a fire.

It was but a small flame, but sufficient to find reflectors in many eyes
which peered behind the trees, and as by the light of this little
illumination the doctor went down on one knee beside the wounded pigmy,
who gazed up at him in wonder, he drew off the white handkerchief, the
one with which Dan had supplied Mark clean washed that morning.

"Come closer, Mark," said the doctor. "I want you to hold the lamp."

Mark released the hand of the little savage, which clung to his tightly,
and went round behind the injured pigmy's head, meeting the wondering
eyes, and laying his hand upon the little fellow's head with a friendly
touch, before gazing anxiously down and watching the doctor's movements.

There was a faint gasp to follow the doctor's first touch, and a low
thrilling sound arose, evidently from a group of watchers behind the
trees.

"Medical men go through strange experiences, Mark," said the doctor, in
a low tone, "but not many have such a case as this."

"'Tis rather horrid," said Mark.

"Hold the light lower, so as to throw it just upon his shoulder."

Mark obeyed.

"Well, I suppose I had better go on," said the doctor quietly, "and hope
that I shall not have half a dozen spears stuck into me if my patient
shrieks out."

"Shall you hurt him much?" said Mark.

"I shall hurt him," said the doctor, upon whose busy fingers the light
now played.

"What a horrid wound!" said Mark.

"Bad enough to kill him from mortification!" said the doctor softly.
"Yes, just as I expected. Here's a long splinter of the bone festering
in this great wound--I should say small wound, poor little chap! I'm
afraid mine is going to be rough surgery, but this piece must come out.
What's to be done?"

"Take it out," said Mark.