y
would leave Jimmy tied up to the tree, and fighting hard to get rid of
an idea that kept coming to me, namely, that the savages were feeding us
and keeping us for an object that it made me shudder to think about,
when I noted a little excitement among the people. There was some loud
talking, and directly after about a dozen came to my prison and signed
to me to get up.

I rose to my knees and then tried to stand, but my ankles were still so
painful that I winced. By a stern effort, though, I stood up, and a
sturdy black on either side took my arms and hurried me to a tree close
by the one where Jimmy was tied.

As we crossed the opening I saw the boy and the tall painted savage
standing by the door of a hut on one side, the latter holding a long
spear tasselled with feathers, and I supposed him to be the chief, or
perhaps only the doctor or conjuror of the village.

Jimmy's delight knew no bounds. He shouted and sang and laughed, and
then howled, with the tears running down his cheeks.

"Hi, yup! Jimmy glad as big dingo dog for mutton bones!" he cried.
"How quite well, Mass Joe? Jimmy so glad be with you. Seems all over
again, Mass Joe, and Jimmy knock all black fellow up and down--make um
run, run. Whatum, Mass Joe--legs?"

"Only with being tied up so tightly, Jimmy. They're getting better. My
head is the worst."

"Head um worse, Mass Joe! Show Jimmy black debble hurt um head. Jimmy
whack um, whack um too much can't say kangaroo."

"No, no! wait a bit, Jimmy," I said, as the blacks bound me to the tree.
"We must watch for our time."

"Watch?" said Jimmy; "watch? Doctor got um watch clock. Tick, tick,
tick!"

"Where is the doctor?" I said.

"Jimmy don't know little bitums. Doctor go one way. Mass Jack-Jack
Penny-Penny, one way find Mass Joe. Jimmy-Jimmy, go one way find Mass
Joe. Jimmy-Jimmy find um. Hooray! Nebber shall be slabe!"

"I hope not, Jimmy," I said, smiling. "So the doctor and Jack Penny and
you all went to find me, and you were seized by the blacks?"

"Dats um--all lot take um way," cried Jimmy. "Only Jimmy find Mass Joe.
Come along a black fellow. All jump atop Jimmy. Jimmy fight um, kick
um--play big goose berry strong black fellow. Too much big coward big.
Topper, topper, Jimmy head um. Go sleep um. Bring um here."

"Too many of them, and they hit you on the head and stunned you?"

"Hiss! 'tunned Jimmy. Hiss! 'tunned Jimmy. Send um all asleep. Topper
head