"I don't see anything," said the doctor, who came next in the single file in which they had pursued their way. "I did; I saw a face peep round one of the trees and dart back again." "Are you sure?" said the doctor. "I can make out scarcely anything in this darkness. Ah! Can you see anything now?" For Mak was smiling at them, and pointing with his spear. "No," replied Mark; "but we had better go on." Their guide, however, seemed to differ, and signed to them to stay where they were, and then passed out of sight, leaving those he guided looking nervously at one another. "Well, we shall be in a pretty mess, Master Mark," said Sir James, "if that Day and Martin fellow doesn't come back." "Oh, he will come back, father," said Mark confidently. "Yes," said the doctor, "I don't doubt that; only he may lose his way." "Not likely," said Mark; "eh, Dean?" "Well," said the latter, speaking rather nervously, "if we were back at the waggon and you said that I should think just as you do, but now we are here again I can't help feeling that nasty nervousness come back.-- Ah!" he ejaculated, with a deep sigh of relief, for one minute the little party was anxiously peering about them in the deep gloom, looking for a way in amongst the towering trees, the next their guide had reappeared as if by magic, signing to them to come on. And five minutes later the doctor and Sir James were uttering ejaculations of wonderment not untinged with nervousness, as they found themselves in the circular opening and in the presence of about a dozen of the pigmies with their bows strung and arrows ready to be sent flying at an enemy. Every now and then too they had a glance at a little shadowy form which glided into sight for a moment and disappeared without a sound. Meanwhile Mak had walked straight across to one of the little savages and made signs to him and uttered a word or two, as he kept on turning and pointing at the group he had led into the solitude, ending by catching one of the little fellows by the shoulder. Then sticking his spear into the damp earth he went through a pantomime which he intended to suggest that there was a bad wound about the shoulders he pressed, and pointed again and again at the doctor, and then in the direction where the injured pigmy had been left. "He won't be able to make him understand," said Dean impatiently. "Oh, what a bother it is that we don't know their tongue!" "I think it's all right," said Mark. "Look here," he continued, as their stalwart black drew the dwarf he held towards his party. "What does that mean?" said the doctor. "I don't quite know," replied Mark. "These people are all so much alike, but I think this is one I saw before, because he has got brass wire rings round his arm. Yes, I am right," continued Mark eagerly, for Mak raised his little prisoner's hand towards Mark and signed to him to extend his own.