The interpreter did as directed, whereupon the savages dropped upon their knees, touched their foreheads to the earth, mumbling all the time, and then departed.
“See here, Dobbin,” exclaimed Trim. “You’ve got to keep a straight face at such times as this!”
“Lord bless ee, lad,” returned Dobbin; “how could a man keep straight when ye was goin’ all through that monkey business?”
“It meant everything to them,” responded Trim, “and if you don’t stop grinning when such fellows are around you’ll break the snap.”
“I’ll be as sober as a deacon after this,” Dobbin declared.
They saw no more savages that night and met none during the next day’s journey.
On the day following, however, as it came on toward evening they observed that they were followed by half a dozen blacks who seemed to be doubtful whether they should come up to the party or not.
Trim did not like their actions and was prepared in his own mind for trouble.
He consulted a map of the territory that he had taken with him and found that he was now in the land of the Massais.