e little flock circled about a group of euphorbias and lighted upon
sycamores, growing at some distance, amidst the branches of which
resounded voices similar to a wordy conference or a quarrel.

"Those are parrots which are very easily taught to talk," Stas said.
"When we stop at a place for a length of time, I will try to catch one
for you."

"Oh, Stas, thank you!" answered Nell gleefully. "I will call it Daisy."

In the meantime Mea and Kali, having cut off fruit from the bread-fruit
tree, loaded the horses with it, and the little caravan proceeded. In
the afternoon it began to cloud and at times brief showers occurred,
filling the crevices and the depressions in the earth. Kali predicted a
great downpour, so it occurred to Stas that the ravine, which was
becoming narrower and narrower, would not be a safe shelter for the
night, for it could change into a torrent. For this reason he
determined to pass the night above, and this decision delighted Nell,
particularly when Kali, who was sent to reconnoitre, returned and
announced that not far away was a small grove composed of various
trees, and in it many monkeys, not as ugly as the baboons which up to
that time they had met.

Chancing thereafter upon a place at which the rocky walls were low and
sloped gradually, he led the horses out, and before it grew dark they
built a barricade for the night. Nell's tent stood on a high and dry
spot close to a big white-ant hillock, which barred the access from one
side and for that reason lessened the labor of building the zareba.

Near-by stood a large tree with widely spread boughs which, covered by
dense foliage, furnished shelter against rain. In front of the zareba
grew single clumps of trees and further a thick forest entangled with
climbing plants, beyond which loftily shot out crowns of strange palm
trees resembling gigantic fans or outspread peacock tails.

Stas learned from Kali that before the second rainy season, that is, in
autumn, it was dangerous to pass the night under these palm trees, for
the huge-fruit, at that time ripe, breaks off unexpectedly and falls
from a considerable distance with such force that it can kill a person
or even a horse. At present, however, the fruit was in bud, and in the
distance before the sun set there could be seen, under the crowns,
agile little monkeys, which, leaping gaily, chased each other.

Stas, with Kali, prepared a great supply of wood, sufficient for the
whole night, a