“Me Pedro’s wife. Me Rosa. Come!” said the leader.
The savage repeated the words as if they meant nothing to her. Perhaps Pedro had spent hours teaching her those few phrases.
“Don’t go, Terry,” begged Prim. “They’ll get us to their village, then eat us!”
But Terry laughed. “Why no, Prim, we’ve exchanged gifts. We’re friends, like sisters.”
Prim grumbled as Terry nodded her willingness to go and followed after the chief’s wife who led the way straight toward the jungle. At first the girls could not see an opening in that wall of tangled leaves, but when they reached the trees, Rosa led them into a dark green tunnel and Terry and Prim followed, wondering what was coming next.
They must have walked for half a mile through that passageway cut from the creepers, when the girls saw light ahead and soon emerged on a clearing, among mud huts, a swarm of natives and naked children.
When the girls appeared, a cry went up from the blacks that sent a chill to the heart. It was a sharp, penetrating cry that made shivers run up and down the spine.
But only for a moment were the girls afraid. The natives were friendly, there was no doubt about that. The children stared at them with wonder in their big eyes. The girls lost no time in giving the little ones the few pieces of chocolate they had in the deep pockets of their flying coats.
“I’ll take back everything I ever said, Prim, about you wearing a necklace with flying togs and making me, as well as yourself, carry a supply of chocolate. They have served us in good stead today,” said Terry, her eyes glowing as she watched the children devour the sweets.
Prim was smiling triumphantly at Terry. “Your apology is accepted, my dear! Only don’t let it happen again! And if they are going to spread a feast for us, I wish they’d hurry up, for my stomach is crying for food. Those bananas I ate last night weren’t so very filling after all. And I don’t care whether I ever see another one.”