ut the new abode with great willingness and even
ardor; the reason for this he explained the same day to Stas in the
following manner:

"When the great master and the 'bibi,'" he said, holding his arms
akimbo, "live in the tree, Kali will not have to build big zarebas for
the night and he can be idle every night."

"Then you like to be idle?" Stas asked.

"Kali is a man, so Kali loves to be idle, as only women ought to work."

"But you see, however, that I work for the 'bibi.'"

"But because when the 'bibi' grows up she will have to work for the
great master, and, if she does not want to, the great master will whip
her."

But Stas, at the very thought of whipping the "bibi," jumped as if
scalded and shouted in anger:

"Fool, do you know who the 'bibi' is?"

"I do not," replied the black boy with fear.

"Bibi--is--is--a good Mzimu."

And Kali cowered.

After finishing his work he approached Nell bashfully; then he fell on
his face and began to repeat, not indeed in a terror-stricken, but in
an entreating voice:

"Aka! Aka! Aka!"

And the "Good Mzimu" stared at him, with her beautiful, sea-green eyes
wide open, not understanding what had happened nor what was the matter
with Kali.

VII

The new abode, which Stas named "Cracow," was completed in the course
of three days. But before that time the principal luggage was deposited
in the "men's quarters" and during great downpours the young quartette
staid in the gigantic trunk, perfectly sheltered. The rainy season
began in earnest but it was not one of our long autumn rains during
which the heavens are heavy with dark clouds and the tedious, vexatious
bad weather lasts for weeks. There, about a dozen times during the day,
the wind drives over the sky the swollen clouds, which water the earth
copiously, after which the sun shines brightly, as if freshly bathed,
and floods with a golden luster the rocks, the river, the trees, and
the entire jungle. The grass grew almost before their eyes. The trees
were clad with more abundant leaves, and, before the old fruit fell,
buds of the new germinated. The air, owing to the tiny drops of water
suspended in it, grew so transparent that even distant objects became
entirely distinct and the view extended into the immeasurably far
expanse. On the sky hung charming, seven-colored rainbows and the
waterfall was almost continually attired with them. The brief dawn and
twilight played with thousands of lights of such b