Fortunately for him, before the entire party could indulge in this alleged hospitable work a number of apes entered the room bearing large quantities of the favorite bark, and a frantic rush was made by all the feasters, which resulted in his being neglected for the moment.
To satisfy his hunger with the articles of food here in the dining-room was impossible, while to remain might be to subject himself to a diet of crockery and glassware; therefore, at a moment when he fancied himself unnoticed, he stole softly out of the window into the court-yard, and continued on to the further end, where was a sign over one of the doors bearing the word “Kitchen.”
Not alone did he go, however, for the counselors on the table seeing his departure ran quickly after him, and in a twinkling every occupant of the dining-room was at his heels—not for the purpose of restraining his movements, but to learn what would be done.
To avoid this unpleasant retinue, if possible, he darted into an apartment midway between the kitchen and the veranda, which was evidently Captain Seaworth’s sitting-room. Here the work of destruction had not been so complete. Several chairs were yet in serviceable condition, while a violin, two guitars and a banjo hung on the walls with no marks of having been touched by the long-tailed invaders.
Philip did not delay in this room, however, since food was the one object of his desires, and he passed through several apartments until the kitchen was finally reached.
To this place the instincts of the apes were sufficient to give them free access. The doors of the cupboards were yet closed, for the invaders had not been able to unfasten the catches. The marks of their vain attempts in this direction, however, were written plainly in long scratches across the doors, as if they had been seeking for some secret spring, overlooking entirely the buttons and bolts.
Every member of the party from the dining-room was close at his heels when he opened the first of the cupboards and found it filled with all kinds of canned meats, poultry, vegetables, sardines, jam, milk, and other delicacies which were probably intended for the officers of the expedition.
The most conspicuous article in the closet was a huge jar of preserved ginger which had most likely been taken on board during the latter portion of the voyage, and this immediately attracted Goliah’s attention. The lid was partially off, and with one blow of his paw he dislodged it entirely, thrusting his head into the jar up to the shoulders.
His followers, envious of his good fortune, and not being able to procure for themselves anything from this newly-discovered hoard because of the narrowness of the door, seized their leader by the tail, pulling him from one side of the room to the other regardless of his efforts to remain quiet long enough to enjoy the unexpected feast.
As a matter of course the baboon was dragged over no inconsiderable space; but he managed to keep his head within the neck of the jar, and his zealous subjects only succeeded in rolling both him and the sweetmeats about, his hairy shoulders completely filling the mouth of the vessel so that none of the contents were spilled.