“But suppose that were to make a dreadful noise—wouldn’t he be frightened?”
“Then let him be frightened!” replied Stasch quickly. “That is the least thing that worries me. Nell, it really is not worth while talking seriously to you.”
Nevertheless he continued talking, or rather thinking aloud:
“If too little powder be used the rock will not split, and the powder will be wasted, and yet if enough be put in there will not be much left over; besides, if it were to explode prematurely we might be killed. Then what would be left to hunt with, what to defend us with in case of an attack? You know quite well that if I had not had this rifle and these cartridges we should long since have lost our lives, either when in Gebhr’s hands or from starvation. We are lucky, too, in having horses, for by ourselves we could not carry either the baggage or the cartridges.”
Thereupon Nell put out her forefinger and said very emphatically:
“If I tell King to do it, he will carry everything.”
“What burdens will he have to carry; we have very few things left.”
“Nevertheless, he will protect us——”
“But he can not shoot game with his trunk as I can with my rifle.”
“Well, we can eat figs and the large pumpkin-like fruits that grow on the trees, and Kali can catch fish.”