t was evident that the difference of their dialect was sufficient to
make the pigmy reply from time to time with eager questions, which made
his companion repeat himself with some show of annoyance, frowning
angrily, till the pigmy nodded his head quickly, showing that he grasped
his companion's meaning.

This lasted pretty well ten minutes, after which the pigmy picked up his
weapons, Mak repossessed himself of his spear, and then turning to those
who had been intently watching him all through, he gave them a heavy nod
and then marched off without a word.

"Well, ought we to clap our hands?" said Mark.

"No, don't," said Dean. "Look there; Pig's going off too;" for the
little fellow took a couple of steps towards him, nodded his head, and
then followed Mak.

"I say, all of you, what does this mean--that Mak has been trying to
show little Pig that the rifle has been stolen, and that he is going to
try and find it and get it back?" said Mark.

"I don't know enough about these people to say, sir," replied Buck.
"Sometimes I seemed to make out that that was what it meant; at other
times it looked as if he was only making a fool of himself, just
capering about like a dancing doll in a show. What do you say, Dan?"

"Same as you do, messmate. I just got a bit here and there."

"That's right," said Brown, with one of his usual sighs. "He has been
telling Pig, as you call him, that a rifle has been stolen, and that
they have got to get it back."

"Do you feel sure he means that?" asked Mark.

"Quite," said Brown confidently, "and we shan't see them again till they
have got it."

"Then you think they will get it?"

Brown shook his head, and was silent for a few moments.

"If they get it we shall see them again; if they don't, we shan't."

"Ashamed to show their faces eh, messmate?" asked Dan.

"No--the others too much for them."

"Then we may be sending them to their death. Here, I don't like this,
Dean. I am sure father would rather that we lost the rifle. Here,
let's call them back. Come on!"

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

A TERRIBLE SLIP.

The two boys hurried off in the direction taken by the blacks, hastening
through the ruins in the full expectation of coming upon them at any
moment, till the mazy wilderness of stones and trees closed in and
farther progress was checked.

"We can't have passed them, can we?" asked Mark.

"No; impossible."

"Well, then, where are they?"

For answer Dean gave