Neither of these openings were provided with anything in the nature of a door that could be closed. Whenever the rare occasions arose for such a sealing of the inhabitants of a house, it was done by means of furs suspended in front of the entrance.
The white men noted this with quick eyes, and then went back to the front apartment.
"In the event of attack," said the Professor with the utmost coolness, "you can take the rear door and I the front."
Long nodded his head; he understood and was ready.
They had hardly entered the front apartment, when both were struck by the unusual chatter of voices on the outside. There must have been a large gathering of people who were growing excited about something.
The Professor was about to step into the opening to learn what it meant, when Bippo burst into the apartment, the picture of fright and terror.
"Going to kill us!" was his alarming exclamation; "make me run—almost kill me!"
"Where's Pedros?" asked Long.
"He scared—run into woods—won't come back—run all way to Am'zon!"
"I think he'll have to stop once or twice to get breath before he reaches there," was the characteristic comment of the Professor, who standing near the door, listened more closely to the threatening words and exclamations on the outside.