hole thing happened in less than a moment. As Burt recovered from
his surprise the pigmies were still prostrate in the attitude of
worship. Beside him lay the branding iron, unheeded. With a quick motion
the boy stooped and caught it up, whirled it around, and sent it flying
across the zareba. Then he turned to Mbopo.

"Now make good!" he exclaimed, as a murmur arose from the crowd at his
action. "You're the boss, Mbopo!"

As though he had understood the words, the young pigmy sprang to his
feet and began to speak rapidly in the clicking language of the dwarfs.
For a moment there was a surge of the warriors toward the captives, then
it was stopped. Mbopo spoke more and more rapidly, and finished his
speech by seizing a spear from the nearest man and leaping on the throne
of skins, where he stood in an attitude of defiance. For a moment the
crowd seemed stupefied by surprise. Then went up two bark-like notes
from every throat, and once more the pigmies sank prostrate in the dust,
saluting their new chief.

"Bully for him!" cried Critch delightedly. "Now we're all right, Burt!"

"Looks that way," replied the flushed Burt, who had feared a speedy
retribution for his rash act. Mbopo said a few more words, and again the
peculiar bark-like guttural came from the crowd. There was a movement,
and a dozen of the largest warriors, those who had formed the bodyguard
of the old chief, stepped forward and saluted the new chief with a
prostration. Mbopo had seized the throne.

"Now I wonder what'll happen?" said Critch. "Say, did you notice that
lion's head, Burt?"

"Sure," nodded his chum. "It was all scarred white. Funny the way he
butted through that thorn fence, wasn't it? Just like he didn't see it."

"I'll bet the scar came from the oil Cap'n Mac threw at him!" cried
Critch excitedly. "Mebbe it--"

"That's it!" exclaimed Burt. "He's blind! He couldn't see the zareba
but he could smell all right. That's it; he's blind!"

"Hurray!" shouted Critch. Before he could say any more a murmur from the
crowd stopped him. The conversation of the two captives had not passed
unobserved. One of the old men came forward, saluted the chief, and
began to speak. The crowd signified their approval by repeated clicks
and Mbopo also nodded while the wondering boys watched.

The old man finished his speech. Mbopo stood in silence for a moment and
then gave an order. To the astonishment of the boys they were surrounded
and bound hand and fo