“Woa hoa! Woa ho a ho!” said Smith, in a deep, smothered voice.
“Avast below there,” cried Wriggs, panting hard. “Stopped ’em at last, Billy,” said Smith. “Ay, and mine too, Tommy; I never see such a cowardly pair o’ legs afore, did you?”
“Yes, matey, mine’s the worstest, for they begun it and started yourn. Think on ’em, running away and taking us along with ’em, leaving one’s officers in the lurch like that.”
“Ay, ’nuff to make a man wish as they was wooden legs, Tommy, eh?”
“Or cork, messmet. But don’t jaw, Billy. Let ’em have it. Make the beggars run as they never run afore. Come on back again.”
The two men took hold of hands and ran back as hard as ever they could go to where Panton and Drew were standing, and as they came up the flock of Paradise birds flew off again, and the murmur of the Papuans’ voices sounded very near.
“Then you thought better of it,” said Panton, fiercely.
“Nay, sir, never thought at all,” replied Smith, stolidly. “Did you ever see two pair of such legs as these here?” and he gave his thighs each a tremendous slap, Wriggs following his example.
“What do you mean?” said Panton, roughly.
“Wawk, wawk, wawk, wawk, wawk!” cried Drew, with his face turned to the forest.