The Ammi now continued their forward march with but little interruption.
“I fear this expedition will end in disaster,” said Gimbo; “our falling into the water is a bad sign.”
“I think so to,” added Pounder, recalling his duckings; “but before it ends I shall have a fight with the Apes, and smash some of their jaws.”
“What looks to me worst,” said another, “is, that when I was sharpening my flint this morning, the Fire-monster suddenly appeared to me, starting up out of the flint and immediately disappearing again.”
“I saw the same thing,” added another, “when Pounder struck me in the eye. Fire flew in all directions and then disappeared.”
One of the scouts now returned breathless announcing that they could see the Lali in the distance.
“Let me reconnoiter,” said Koree, who advanced rapidly to the farther edge of the swamp, from which, indeed, the Apes could be distinctly seen.
These were running up and down the trees, apparently gathering fruit, and chasing one another over the plains without any apparent purpose except sport. But men never knew the deep designs of Monkeys.