p thorn-made tears in the jackets laid across their knees.

It was a delightfully still afternoon, with the air limpid and clear,
while the sun threw down the shadows of wall and tree of a dense velvety
black. The doctor and Sir James were away somewhere, exploring, alone;
Mak and the pigmy had picked out a good sunshiny spot where they could
sleep, while the rest of the party were not far away and busy clearing
out an excavation that they had begun the previous day.

All was so still that Dunn Brown's curiously intoned high-pitched calls
sounded peculiarly shrill, and almost startled Dean in his clumsy
manipulation of his needle, making him prick his hand.

"Oh, there you are, gentlemen; I couldn't find you, nor anybody else."

"Well, what's the matter?" said Mark.

"The--blacks--sir," said the man looking down sadly at Mark's torn
jacket.

"Sewing," said Mark, noting the direction of the man's eyes.

"Yes, sir--Dan--sews--best."

"Well, I know that," cried Mark. "What about the blacks?"

"Come again."

"Bother the blacks!" cried Mark. "Look here, Dunn; I won't have it. We
won't have it," he added; "eh, Dean?"

"No," cried Dean, sucking his pricked finger and looking very
ill-humoured. "A set of black beggarly cadgers! They are getting to
think they have a right to be fed. Go and start them off, Dunn. Why
didn't you do it before?"

"I did, sir, yesterday. They've come again."

"Send them about their business."

"Rather afraid--" began the man.

"Don't believe you, Dunn," said Mark. "You are not a coward."

"No."

"Well then, send them off."

"Meddled with the ponies yesterday."

"Hallo! I didn't hear of that."

"No, sir. Big fellow began to pull the halter."

"Oh, and what did you do?"

"Knocked him down."

"You never said so."

"No.--Afraid--mean trouble."

"And now here they are back again? Well, come along, Dean; let's see
what they mean. Where's the doctor?"

"Gone off with uncle."

"Bother! Well, we must do the bossing."

"Shall I whistle for the men?" said Dean.

"Oh, no. They would think that we were afraid, and I don't want that.
Come along, Dunn. Where are the beggars now?"

"Close--Dan's store."

"Oh, I say, that won't do," cried Mark, and the next minute the sight
before him showed him plainly that it was quite time to interfere, for
there in the sheltered store made of a kind of thatch spread over some
roughly piled up stones, close to what Dan call