awaited his
further commands.

"Take one end o' the case," directed Critch. Burt obeyed, and the two
boys led the way back to the hut. No sooner had they deposited the
_ankh_ than Burt chanced to touch one of the pigmies in the dark. The
man gave a terrific shriek and dashed through the doorway, followed by
his brother. For a moment a wild fear clutched Burt. What if the mob
imagined that they were hurting the two men? The boys hurried out, and
found the men prostrate beside Mbopo. Critch raised them up and Burt,
needing no instruction, smilingly touched each of the shrinking men in
turn. Finding that they suffered nothing, their fear gradually lessened,
and as Mbopo grasped the hand of Burt there was a look of joy in the
honest eyes of the young dwarf that told far more than any words could
have done.

Then Critch led the way to the village. The crowd, still prostrate,
separated to let them through. Ten minutes later the boys lay side by
side on a heap of skins in a hut, too much overcome by the strain to
even speak. But as Burt fell asleep, he knew that they had won the
fight.

CHAPTER XIX

THE RAFT

When he wakened, it was hard for Burt to realize where he was. He stared
up at the thatched roof above him and gradually collected his thoughts.
A shiver swept over him as he recollected what had occurred the
preceding night. He sat up, and saw Critch still asleep beside him. It
appeared to be broad daylight outside, and he roused his chum at once.
Critch rolled over and sprang to his feet, then stood blinking around
with so puzzled an expression that Burt went into a shout of laughter.

"What's the matter?" he gasped.

"I was dreaming that old Ta was having a scrap with me," confessed his
chum sheepishly. "He threw the _ankh_ at me and just then Pongo come
along and jumped him. Both of 'em rolled over on me and I woke up."

"Say, was last night all a dream?" asked Burt, soberly, as he stared at
his chum. "Or did we really put it over--"

"You bet we did!" cried Critch with a grin of recollection. "No dream
about that, old man. We've only been here two days, but we've done a
heap of things. Now we got to finish the lion. Then we can see about
getting off."

"I'm not anxious to monkey with Pongo," stated Burt. "However, we might
send out Mbopo to trail him. I'll take him over to the hut if you'll get
some breakfast fixed up."

"I'm on," exclaimed Critch. Upon leaving the hut, the two boys found
the