the odd movements of the four-handed creatures.

They perceived that the troop was actually marching in order; not _in
line_, but with some understood arrangement. There were scouts upon the
wings, and leaders in front. These were baboons of greater age and size
than the others. There were calls and signals, and the change of accent
and tone would have convinced any one that a regular conversation was
going on. The females and younger ones marched in the middle for better
security. The mothers carried their infants upon their backs, or over
their shoulders. Now a mother would stop to suckle her little
offspring--dressing its hair at the same time--and then gallop forward
to make up for the loss. Now one would be seen beating her child, that
had in some way given offence. Now two young females would quarrel,
from jealousy or some other cause, and then a terrible chattering would
ensue, to be silenced by the loud threatening bark of one of the chiefs!

Thus proceeded they across the plain, chattering, and screaming, and
barking, as only monkeys can.

What were they after?

That question was answered very soon. Truey, and Jan, and Totty, saw,
to their dismay, that the baboons were not out upon an idle errand.
They were after the maize-plants!

In a few minutes most of the troop had entered the corn-field, and were
hidden from view by the tall stems and broad leaves of the plants. A
few only could be seen,--large old fellows, that stationed themselves
outside as sentinels, and were keeping up a constant interchange of
signals. The main body was already stripping the plants of their
precious fruit.

But a singular appearance presented itself beyond the corn-field, where
a line of baboons, stationed at equal distance from one another,
extended away to the very bottom of the cliff. These had been left by a
regular manoeuvre,--a deployment--as the troop traversed the plain in
coming to the field. For what purpose?

That was soon apparent. In less than two minutes after the crowd
disappeared under the shelter of the maize-plants, the long heads in
their husks were seen showering out towards the line, as if flung by the
hand of man! Those placed at the near end of the line immediately took
them up, pitched them to the next, and these to the next, and so on,
until, in a very short while from the time a head was plucked from the
stalk, it was delivered to the storehouse of the baboons far off among
the cliffs