es--" here he opened his mouth and put his finger on his small
close teeth--"his hands are as soft as bees that stroke a flower--"
here he spread his hands and went and suddenly flopped on his knees
beside Alvina, showing his hands and his teeth still, and rolling
his eyes. "Allaye can have no fear at all of the bear Walgatchka,"
he said, looking up at her comically.

Ciccio, who had been watching and slightly grinning, here rose to
his feet and took Geoffrey by the shoulder, pulling him up.

"Basta!" he said. "Tu es saoul. You are drunk, my Gigi. Get up. How
are you going to ride to Mansfield, hein?--great beast."

"Ciccio," said Geoffrey solemnly. "I love thee, I love thee as a
brother, and also more. I love thee as a brother, my Ciccio, as thou
knowest. But--" and he puffed fiercely--"I am the slave of Allaye, I
am the tame bear of Allaye."

"Get up," said Ciccio, "get up! Per bacco! She doesn't want a tame
bear." He smiled down on his friend.

Geoffrey rose to his feet and flung his arms round Ciccio.

"Cic'," he besought him. "Cic'--I love thee as a brother. But let me
be the tame bear of Allaye, let me be the gentle bear of Allaye."

"All right," said Ciccio. "Thou art the tame bear of Allaye."

Geoffrey strained Ciccio to his breast.

"Thank you! Thank you! Salute me, my own friend."

And Ciccio kissed him on either cheek. Whereupon Geoffrey
immediately flopped on his knees again before Alvina, and presented
her his broad, rich-coloured cheek.

"Salute your bear, Allaye," he cried. "Salute your slave, the tame
bear Walgatchka, who is a wild bear for all except Allaye and his
brother Pacohuila the Puma." Geoffrey growled realistically as a
wild bear as he kneeled before Alvina, presenting his cheek.

Alvina looked at Ciccio, who stood above, watching. Then she lightly
kissed him on the cheek, and said:

"Won't you go to bed and sleep?"

Geoffrey staggered to his feet, shaking his head.

"No--no--" he said. "No--no! Walgatchka must travel to the tent of
Kishwegin, to the Camp of the Tawaras."

"Not tonight, _mon brave_," said Ciccio. "Tonight we stay here,
hein. Why separate, hein?--frere?"

Geoffrey again clasped Ciccio in his arms.

"Pacohuila and Walgatchka are blood-brothers, two bodies, one blood.
One blood, in two bodies; one stream, in two valleys: one lake,
between two mountains."

Here Geoffrey gazed with large, heavy eyes on Ciccio. Alvina brought
a candle and lighted it.

"You w