captain, and the pigmy snatched off his gold band
and feathers, dropped on all fours, and began rubbing first one cheek
and then the other against Mark's feet, just like a cat, as the boy
afterwards said.

It was that same night again beneath the stars, and with the walls of
the camp guarded--now by military sentries, though there was not the
slightest fear of a return of the severely punished and scattered tribe.
The two boys were seated with Sir James and the doctor, Captain Lawton
having retired with his officer to one of the waggons which had been
given up to them, worn out as they were with their forced march made
under the guidance of Dunn Brown, when Dan made his appearance to say
that Peter Dance and Bob Bacon would be glad if Sir James would see them
for a minute.

"Oh, yes, of course," was the reply, and directly afterwards the two men
made their appearance.

"Well, Dance? Well, Robert," said Sir James. "What is it?"

The two men looked at one another, then at their master, ending by
grinning at Mark and Dean.

"Oh," said Sir James good-humouredly, "it was them you wanted to see,
was it?"

"Well, Sir James--" began the elder keeper, and then stopped and looked
at Bob.

"Oh, don't hesitate to speak," said Sir James. "Boys, these two brave
fellows fought for us like heroes."

"No, no, Sir James," grumbled Peter. "It was Bob Bacon."

"Nay, Sir James," cried Bob sharply. "It was Peter."

"It was both of them," said Sir James sharply, for he was worn out with
the excitement of the day. "Peter, after we had got away--the doctor
and I both wounded--nursed us both as tenderly as a woman."

"Beg your pardon, Sir James," growled Peter; "not as a woman, sir."

"Well, as good as a woman; and as for Robert Bacon, we should have
starved over and over again but for the clever way in which he stole
down of a night from the cavern, and never came back without food in
some shape or another; eh, doctor?"

"Invariably," replied the gentleman addressed.

"Oh, it warn't anything to make a fuss about, Sir James," said Bob,
changing from one foot to the other, and looking very uncomfortable. "I
stole lots of it from the waggon."

"Yes," said the doctor, "and risked being speared by the enemy."

"Oh, no, sir, begging your pardon," said Bob modestly. "It was much too
dark for that; and the two forelopers as the blacks kept to look after
the bullocks always saved me a snack or two for you when one of the
be