Biff let it go at that, because his own recollections of what had happened on the ledge were somewhat confused, so he could allow for a few mistakes on Chandra's part. Besides, there were more important things to think about. The most important of all was brought up in an odd way when they pitched camp late that same afternoon. Biff heard Li and Kamuka begin one of their old arguments, while the other boys gleefully listened in.
"Well, Kamuka," commented Li in an indulgent tone, "now that you're high in the Himalayas, how do the Andes stack up?"
"Still bigger," returned Kamuka. "Anyway, they look bigger. That's what's most important."
Kamuka looked for someone to agree, and he received an approving nod from Chuba.
"But there are things here that you won't find in the Andes," Li went on. "For instance"—he caught himself when Biff gave him a warning glance. Instead of mentioning Yetis, Li made a quick switch. "For instance, we have Lamas. You don't have people like that in the Andes."
"Sure we do," rejoined Kamuka. "Only they don't look like people. They look like yaks."
That brought a laugh from Biff, in which Mike joined. Chandra and Chuba were still puzzled, so Biff explained:
"Li means a Lama, spelled with one 'L' like Li. The Lamas are important people. We are on our way to see one now. But Kamuka is talking about llamas, spelled with a double 'l.' They are animals that carry packs in the Andes, as yaks do here."
Biff left it to Mike to go into further details on the subject while he went over to talk to Uncle Charlie and Barma Shah. Biff put a simple question.
"How are we going to find Chonsi?" Biff asked them. "When will we hear from the Grand Lama, the wisest man in the East?"