The eyes of the black men glistened with interest as they saw the trinkets, but they did not put out their hands to receive them. Trim accordingly laid the trinkets at their feet.
“You see,” he said, “we come as friends.”
The speaker for the black men looked doubtful.
“We will take your presents,” he said, after a moment, “and let you go in peace, but you must go back, not forward!”
Trim answered sternly to this.
“We shall go forward, not back! The Massais must not stand in our way!”
Trim’s determined manner evidently made an impression upon the blacks, for the elders consulted together for several minutes.
The warriors in the party meantime strolled impudently within the camp itself and having untied one of the donkeys, were starting off with it.
“Stop that!” commanded Trim. “Bring that animal back or there’ll be trouble right here!”
The elders called to the warriors, who unwillingly brought the donkey back and then withdrew to a little distance.