“A hundred and fifty, sir! Why, that’s nothing! Why, look at ’Thusalem; he lived close upon a thousand years. Well, if a man could live to one thousand years, why couldn’t he live to three or four, or five, if you come to that? I don’t say as this ’ere old fellow is quite so old, but he’s the oldest chap I ever see except the mummies, and that’s what this chap might be, only he’s just got life enough in him to move, and they arn’t.”
“Well, that will do, Dan,” said Mark. “But I am sorry you didn’t find the poor old fellow after all.”
The boys related their conversation with Dan to Sir James and the doctor, the former laughing heartily at the little sailor’s belief.
“I suppose,” said Sir James, “the poor old fellow must have summoned up strength enough to crawl away.”
“I don’t think that was possible,” said the doctor. “He could not have stirred without help.”
“But he had no help,” said Sir James.
“I don’t know,” said the doctor quietly.
“What do you mean?” said Sir James; and the boys listened in surprise.
“I mean this, sir,” said the doctor. “We have found that these ruins were well known to Mak and the pigmy.”
“Of course.”