“Let us try.”
No sooner suggested than attempted.
The dance was stopped, and the men and women alike rushed after the runaways, capturing them easily, and holding them firmly until the dance was finished.
When the dancing was concluded, the chief gave another command.
An aged woman, toothless and haggard-looking, with only a few hairs on her head, was brought from some mysterious place and placed against one of the stone trees.
Then the chief, by pantomimic action, showed that he wanted Max to shoot her.
To make the madcap understand, he took the dead monkey and held it in front of the old woman, then raised an arrow, as Max had done his gun, and pointed it at the woman, letting the monkey fall as he did so.
Max shook his head.
The gesture was not understood.
The chief stood by the side of Max, and raised the rifle to the madcap’s shoulder, making a peculiar noise with his lips as he did so.