"Do you dare hold his arm up?"

"Yes," said Mark, "if it's to do him good."

"It is, of course; but these people looking on don't know. Ah, lucky
thought--tell Mak to bend over and hold the light. Then you raise the
poor little fellow's arm, and I'll do the best I can."

The change was made, the doctor busied himself, and in the course of his
manipulations there was a bright flash of light as the little lantern
played for a few seconds upon the keen blade of a small knife which the
doctor took from his case, while consequent upon its use a faint cry
escaped from the wounded black, and there was a low murmur, which
sounded ominous to Mark's ears.

"Ah," said the doctor, in the most unruffled way, "no wonder the poor
fellow's in such a state. Here, Mak--water--water. Let the arm sink
down now, Mark, and take the light again. I want water, and I ought to
have a basin and sponge. What can you get the water in? I don't want
to wait while he is going back to the waggons. I can manage if you will
only bring the water."

There was probably some spring in the forest known to the pigmies, and
after some little time two good-sized gourds were brought full of the
refreshing fluid.

"Now, Mark, send Mak to get some of that fresh green moss from off the
trees."

This was done, the wound carefully cleansed and dried, a piece of lint
saturated with some of the contents of a bottle the doctor took from his
case, and the moistened antiseptic linen was applied to the wound, the
whole being carefully bandaged and secured, before the doctor rose from
his knees.

"There," said he, "this is a curious experience."

"But will he get better now, doctor?"

"I can't say. I don't know. What I do know is that I don't think he
would have lived another week with his arm in that state. It was all
going bad, from shoulder to elbow. I must dress it again to-morrow, and
then we shall see."

"Then that means that we are not going on to-morrow," said Sir James.

"I am at your orders, sir."

"No," said Mark's father; "you are captain, doctor, and I don't think we
ought to be in such a hurry to get on. I should like to see a little
more of the habits of these people and how they live. There must be a
great deal to interest us, so certainly we will stay for a day or two,
and see how your patient is."

"Well, now let's get back to the waggons," said the doctor. "I suppose
they won't try to stop us."

So far from it, the li