“And that is all for to-night, my baasjes. It is too long to finish now. See, here comes Lys with the baasjes’ supper, and Outa can smell that his askoekies are burning by the hut.”
Evading the children’s detaining hands, Outa sidled away, turning in the passage doorway to paw the air with his crooked fingers in token of a final farewell.
XI.
Saved by his Tail.
“The end, Outa, please,” said little Jan, “the end of The Animals’ Dam. You said it was too long to finish last night.”
“Aja, my baasje, it’s full of jakhals draaie, and that’s why it is so long, but it’s near the end now.
“The night was old by the time the animals had finished with old Broer Babiaan, and the stars were going out. Only the Big Star, that lasts the longest, was travelling quickly by the Stars’ Road to call the Dawn. It began to get light already at the place where the shining Old Man gets up every day, and that meant it was time for the animals to fade away to their sleeping-places.
“Oom Leeuw looked round on them. ’Who will look after the dam to-night?’ he asked.
“‘I will,’ said a little voice, quickly. ‘Peep! peep!’