"What a beautiful mottled top it has!"
"That is why it interested me so much," replied the Professor. "You now have something that is far better than the wood for making combs and other like articles."
"Isn't that fine! Will it be difficult to make them up from this?"
"It is the simplest thing in the world. The outer shell, which is all that is used, is put into boiling water, and this softens it so that it can be worked easily."
"It seems singular that it is called a 'tortoise' shell if the land animals are called tortoises."
"When the shell first became a matter of commerce, it was supposed that the turtle and the tortoise were the same, and the name tortoise being much older than turtle, the former appellation remained in designating the shell."
The day and night of festivities of John and the warriors, at the Saboro village, was ended, and the column took up its march for the country of the Illyas.
Several of the scouts, sent out two days before, returned during the night, and reported that there was a strong force directly ahead and that the lower villages were also sending up a body of men, but that the latter were still two days away.
Calling Muro, John asked: "What is the nature of the country to the extreme south, or next to the sea?"