"And no more of those big birds, unless we shoot them ourselves," said Dean. "Wrong!" cried Mark excitedly. "Here they are!" CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. A RICH DISCOVERY. Dean Roche started in his excitement, for as his cousin spoke he saw that Mak, who had been waiting near, stood pointing with his spear at the little party of pigmies who were winding through the bushes and low growth at the forest edge, the little chief at their head, followed by four of his men bearing a couple of little antelopes swinging from spears, while behind them were two pigmies carrying what seemed to be a sort of creel, in which was their wounded fellow. "I say, look!" cried Dean. "He must be better." "Go and tell the doctor, Mak," said Mark, and then as Mak strode off, "I am glad they have come," cried Dean. "Yes. We must tell the doctor to look at the brass bangles," said Mark. "They are not brass," cried Dean. "I am sure they are gold." The doctor came out, meeting the messenger, and Dan, who was on the watch, followed him with what was required. The necessary attention to the wound followed, and the doctor quite excitedly pointed out with what wonderful rapidity the terrible injury was healing up. "There," he suddenly cried, turning to the little chief, who stood leaning upon his spear, "you need not bring your friend any more, for we are going away." The little fellow gazed up wonderingly in his eyes, and Mark burst out laughing. "What does that mean?" cried the doctor sharply, but without moving his eyes from the pale yellow ring that encircled the pigmy's brow. Then lowering his eyes he searchingly looked at the bangles on wrist and arm. "Do you hear what I said? What does that mean?" he asked. "I was laughing at you for speaking so seriously," said Mark. "He can't understand a word." "Of course not," said the doctor. "Why, Mark," he cried, "I believe you are right, boy." "That it is not brass?" said Mark excitedly. "That it is not brass," replied the doctor. "Where can they obtain it?" "Not in the woods, surely," said Mark. "Oh, here's your father," said the doctor, as Sir James came towards them from the waggon. "Look at these bangles, sir," continued the doctor, "and the band round this little fellow's head. What do you say they are?" Sir James looked at the yellow objects attentively. "They cannot be brass," he said decisively, "or in the moisture of that forest they would have tarnished. Why, boys, we didn't come hunting for the precious metal, but we have found it, all the same." "Yes, there's no doubt of it," said the doctor. "Well, the ancients must have obtained plenty of gold somewhere, and they are supposed to have built a big city in this direction. I feel disposed to put these things together and to say that this city must exist, and that these little fellows must have found their gold ornaments somewhere there. What can we do to find out from them where they obtained the gold?" "Ask them, sir," said Mark.