sitting in safety, munching
what remained of the Gunga's Sudd-bread, and between their mouthfuls
shouting mockery at the musky Coccadrilloes.

While they were thus eating happily together Thumb suddenly threw up his
hands and called: "Blood, blood, O Ummanodda--blood, red blood!" And
then it seemed to Nod, trees, sky, and river swam mazily before his
eyes. Darkness swept up. He rolled over against a jutting root of the
Ollaconda, and knew no more.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER VI

When Nod opened his eyes again, he found himself blinking right into the
middle of a blazing fire, over which hung sputtering a huddled carcass
on a long black spit. Nod's head ached; his shoulder burned and
throbbed. He touched it gently, and found that it was swathed and bound
up with leaves that smelt sleepily sweet and cool. He looked around him
as best he could, but at first could see nothing, because of the
brightness of the flames. Gradually he perceived small grey creatures,
with big heads and white hands, that reached almost to the ground,
hastening to and fro. His smooth brown poll stood up stiff with terror
at sight of them, for he knew he must be lying in the earth-mounds of
the flesh-eating Minimuls.

[Illustration: THE WONDERSTONE.]

Memories one by one returned to him--the Bobberie, the river, the
yapping Coccadrilloes, the burning dart. One thing he could not
recall--how he came to be lying alone and helpless here in the
root-houses of these cunning enemies of all Mulgars, great and small. He
remembered the stories Mutta-matutta used to tell him of their snares
and poisons and enticements; of their earth-galleries and their horrible
flesh-feasts at the full moon. His one comfort was that he still lay in
his sheep's jacket, and felt his little Wonderstone pressed close
against his side.

When one of the Minimuls that stood basting the spit saw that Nod was
awake he summoned others who were standing near, and many stooped softly
over, staring at him, and whispering together. Nod put his finger to his
tongue, and said, "Walla!" One of them instantly shuffled away and
brought him a little gourd of a sweetish juice like Keeri, which greatly
refreshed him.

Then he called out, "Mulgars, Mulla-mulgars?" This, too, they seemed at
once to understand. For, indeed, Seelem had told Nod that these Minimuls
are nothing but a kind of Munza-mulgar, though their faces more closely
resemble the twilight or moo