Charles Beadle

“ Good!" began the professor, hanging on to a branch as he looked up toward the girl. But she was not there.
Then in the spattered sunlight beneath the forest roof he saw her cloud of amber hair upon the khaki coat, and one slim leg which blended with the green of the forest leaves as it vanished in the distance.
"Oh, damn—she's returning to the tribe," exclaimed the professor, and added: "Yet—we are only creatures of environment after all!" ”

“ IN THE district of the Upper Ituri where the ground begins to rise in rhythmic waves as if summoning courage for the mighty heave of the Mountains of the Moon, are patches of grass land, brown freckles on the green face of the forest whose lips are the mouth of the sun-kissed Congo. ”

“ The two heads quirked in a bird-like movement as he cast the pieces on the ground. Professor O'Gorman saw indecision. In one action he sat up, bunching his knees. The savages hopped backward; and stopped to watch as he tore open his shirt, exposing a bare white chest. He grinned widely. Again came the rapid clucks.
"You forget that I always carry my note-book in that pocket—-although I'll admit that your —— arrow does penetrate!" said the professor and held out his hand.
They made no attempt to shake, but evidently understood the amicable significance of the gesture. ”

“ The rifle-butt crashed on the shoulder muscles beside the conical head and as swift as the riposte of a skilled duellist a paw shot out, plucked the weapon from the professor's grasp, and holding by his prehensile feet, the great beast buckled the rifle in half as easily as a child would bend a reed. ”

“ He lumbered heavily out of the slough, covered in green slime from head to foot—but slime which had broken his fall and saved his bones. Around him was the gentle rustle and drip of the jungle.
"Good!" said he, sitting on a root, "but what's happened?"
He peered about. Near at hand was the elephant tusk sticking upright in the swamp; but there was no sign of the pigmies nor the apes. He sighed and wiped some more slime out of his eyes. Bending forward she pulled his green beard and laughed delightedly as he smiled.
"Good for you," he commented, "but where are your friends? ”

“ She led him through the jungle to a swamp where an elephant, hamstrung by the little people, lay wallowing and trumpeting in death agony with half a dozen tiny arrows in the soft of the joints.
The professor demanded his rifle. But the girl replied that the beast would "sleep." When the elephant did "sleep" the little folk were soon crawling over and in the vast carcass like ants over a chunk of meat. They camped immediately and forthwith gorged themselves to repletion—to sleep, to wake, to eat again. The professor was in despair; yet he was weak and thin and the meat food was strengthening. ”

“ They were nomads; neither cultivating nor fighting; living mostly on edible roots and game in the deepest recesses of the Congo forests.
The professor's camp was two hundred miles from the nearest Belgian outpost; and he was— he had no idea how far from his camp. What chance had he of being rescued? As he stared despondently at the glow of sunrise leaf-patterned on the forest roof he could hear them chattering. He listened, mechanically noting four distinct clicks—a labial, kissing sound; dental, as a monkey chatters; palatal, as a carter encourages his horse ”

“ He heard the phtt of arrows and much rustling of undergrowth from which arose savage grunts. Then immediately beneath him appeared a dim face with small, vicious eyes, black holes of nostrils and a cavern of a mouth set with wolf's teeth. Clicking violently the girl tugged at his shirt anew; but the professor, realizing that he could not compete with a gorilla in speed at the top of a tree, clutched the bough with his legs as he swung the useless rifle by the muzzle at a hairy squat body propelled upward with the ease and swiftness of an elevator. ”

“ He smiled largely. "Habari gani? Kusema Kiswahili? Nothing doing, eh? Now I suppose that if I attempt to pantomime my most elemental need you'll surely misconstrue my intentions? Presumably the primitive life conduces to as cynical a view of other people's motives as does civilization? Is that so?"
The steady smile deepened, but the eyes did not quaver.
"However, we'd better introduce ourselves. I'm Professor John P. O'Gorman of the American Museum of Natural History, very much—obviously—at your service! ”

“ Smiling she plucked his beard. This time the professor felt better-tempered.
"All right, my dear," said he, "you can get the reaction this time as it's up to me to make you my friend if ever I'm to get out of this—and if you like I'll take you too. Would you like to?"
She laughed in delight and danced about.
"You're a base flatterer, you know!" he continued humoring her. "I never guessed that I had such a charming voice before. As a matter of fact, it's the music of your own kind that pleases you. I wonder who the devil your people were? How old are you? ”

“ The canoe shot forward more swiftly under the branches into the swamp grass. A small, black-bearded man in the helmet gazed curiously at the gaunt figure of the red-headed giant with a green beard and slimed clothes. As the paddlers poled their way the two white men exchanged explanations. The little man was an Italian in the Belgian Congo service upon a shooting-trip upon the Semliki River. He had heard by runner of the loss of an American professor very distinguished, etc., and bade him welcome and congratulations. ”

“ Evidently the savages had thoroughly established the identity of race or godhood, whichever it was, between the two, for now a separate shelter was erected for each of them and his primitive behests were obeyed without question except—the return of his rifle and cartridges. For even gods were not to be trusted in their estimation.
On one day the tribe did not make any attempt to persuade him to march and were very excited. The girl in explanation made the cow-like noise again, which was explained later by the bellowing of an elephant.
"Come! Come!" said the professor. ”

“ As he continued to scribble the girl swung from a bough into the communal nest. Squatting on her haunches she smiled at him. He smiled. She chattered, and stretching out her hand, pulled at his beard.
"Good morning then," said he, "as evidently that's what you want, eh?"
She laughed, a loud peal of delight.
"Imitative," continued the professor. "Probably you've never laughed aloud in your life until you heard me. Savages never do. However, you seem to enjoy it thoroughly. Satisfying a repressed instinct. ”

“ He couldn't do it; no white man could.
At last at 10:25 by his repeater the professor mutinied. He sank down on a root and refused to budge. He made signs of sleep. The whole tribe, only fragments of it visible, discussed the situation energetically. But the professor didn't care. He slept.
When he awakened from a short doze he found the girl squatting a few feet from him as motionless as a sphinx. No sign of the little folk could he see; but he had learned enough to know that they were not far off. Immediately she saw that he was awake she approached and pulled his beard. ”

“ These little people were undoubtedly the wild pigmy of the forest, seldom seen or even glimpsed by whites or negroes, a primitive shy folk who even in bartering with their comparatively tame brethren of the forest fringe, would only consent to leave skins at a tree in the darkness and return the following night to collect the sweet potatoes, or copper wire, or other produce left for them. ”

“ I know dogs love to have their ears scratched, but never a human! D'you know you'd be rather a beauty if you had a wash and got dolled up a bit. What I can't get is how on earth you've gotten your color? ”

“ He decided that hope of escape lay in the fact that as ivory is of value all over Africa that even these peoples would desire to realize something upon it and would consequently approach nearer to a more civilized tribe to barter for wire or implements. ”