it isn't a
Latin exercise, and it isn't an equation. I don't know how to begin."

Then as a thought struck him he bent down to the little chief and
touched his bangles and armlets, finishing off by placing a finger upon
the thin ribbon-like band which bound his forehead.

The little fellow looked at him wonderingly as if he did not understand,
and turning to the doctor's patient he said a word or two in a
questioning tone.

This was answered in almost a whisper of a couple of monosyllabic words,
which resulted in the little chief slipping one wire bangle from his arm
and handing it to Mark, the Illaka looking on attentively the while.

Mark shook his head, but the little fellow thrust the bangle into his
hand and looked at him enquiringly.

"No, no," said Mark, "I want to know where you get it."

The words had no sooner passed the boy's lips than the pigmy snatched
off the fellow bangle from above his elbow, and held them both out.

"No, no, no," replied Mark, "We--want--to--know--where--you--got--them."

The little fellow laughed, stooped quickly, and took off the slender
little anklets, holding now the four ornaments as if for the boy's
acceptance.

"No, no, I tell you," cried Mark impetuously. "We don't want to rob
you;" and leaning forward he touched the slender pieces of gold with his
finger and then the ribbon-like band that was half hidden amongst the
little fellow's crisp curls.

"Where--where did you get them?" cried Mark.

The pigmy wrinkled up his forehead, with a disappointed look, raised his
hands to his head, looking at the boy reproachfully the while,
hesitated, and then snatched off the band, held all five ornaments
together and thrust them towards Mark, with his face overcast and
frowning the while.

"Oh, I do wish I could talk to you," cried Mark. "Here, Mak, can't you
say something?"

The tall black shook his head and half turned away.

"He doesn't understand either," said Dean. "Try dumb motions, Mark."

"All right," cried Mark, seizing the set of rings, small and large, and
they jingled musically together, while the pigmy with a gloomy look
picked up his ostrich feather, which had fallen to the ground, thrust it
into his hair, and turned frowningly away.

"No, no; hold hard," cried Mark merrily, and he prisoned the little
fellow by the arm and twisted him round, making him look up in angry
wonderment, and his eyes flashed resentment as Mark snatched the ostrich
feather from o