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suspended。 The bushman seemed absorbed in contemplation of this
object。
Warning them not to shoot unless the man was successfully escaping；
Sheldon beckoned the Poonga…Poonga men forward。 Joan smiled
appreciatively to Sheldon。 It was head…hunters against head… hunters。
The blacks trod noiselessly to their stations； which were arranged so that
they could spring simultaneously into the open。 Their faces were keen and
serious； their eyes eloquent with the ecstasy of living that was upon them
for this was living； this game of life and death； and to them it was the only
game a man should play； withal they played it in low and cowardly ways；
killing from behind in the dim forest gloom and rarely coming out into the
open。
Sheldon whispered the word； and the ten runners leaped forwardfor
Binu Charley ran with them。 The bushman's keen ears warned him； and
he sprang to his feet； bow and arrow in hand； the arrow fixed in the notch
and the bow bending as he sprang。 The man he let drive at dodged the
arrow； and before he could shoot another his enemies were upon him。 He
was rolled over and over and dragged to his feet； disarmed and helpless。
〃Why； he's an ancient Babylonian！〃 Joan cried； regarding him。 〃He's
an Assyrian； a Phoenician！ Look at that straight nose； that narrow face；
those high cheek…bonesand that slanting； oval forehead； and the beard；
and the eyes； too。〃
〃And the snaky locks；〃 Sheldon laughed。
The bushman was in mortal fear； led by all his training to expect
nothing less than death； yet he did not cower away from them。 Instead； he
returned their looks with lean self…sufficiency； and finally centred his gaze
upon Joan； the first white woman he had ever seen。
〃My word； bush fella kai…kai along that fella boy；〃 Binu Charley
remarked。
So stolid was his manner of utterance that Joan turned carelessly to see
what had attracted his attention； and found herself face to face with
Gogoomy。 At least； it was the head of Gogoomythe dark object they
had seen hanging in the smoke。 It was freshthe smoke…curing had just
begunand； save for the closed eyes； all the sullen handsomeness and
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animal virility of the boy； as Joan had known it； was still to be seen in the
monstrous thing that twisted and dangled in the eddying smoke。
Nor was Joan's horror lessened by the conduct of the Poonga…Poonga
boys。 On the instant they recognized the head； and on the instant rose
their wild hearty laughter as they explained to one another in shrill falsetto
voices。 Gogoomy's end was a joke。 He had been foiled in his attempt
to escape。 He had played the game and lost。 And what greater joke could
there be than that the bushmen should have eaten him？ It was the
funniest incident that had come under their notice in many a day。 And to
them there was certainly nothing unusual nor bizarre in the event。
Gogoomy had completed the life…cycle of the bushman。 He had taken
heads； and now his own head had been taken。 He had eaten men； and
now he had been eaten by men。
The Poonga…Poonga men's laughter died down； and they regarded the
spectacle with glittering eyes and gluttonous expressions。 The Tahitians；
on the other hand； were shocked； and Adamu Adam was shaking his head
slowly and grunting forth his disgust。 Joan was angry。 Her face was
white； but in each cheek was a vivid spray of red。 Disgust had been
displaced by wrath； and her mood was clearly vengeful。
Sheldon laughed。
〃It's nothing to be angry over；〃 he said。 〃You mustn't forget that he
hacked off Kwaque's head； and that he ate one of his own comrades that
ran away with him。 Besides； he was born to it。 He has but been eaten
out of the same trough from which he himself has eaten。〃
Joan looked at him with lips that trembled on the verge of speech。
〃And don't forget；〃 Sheldon added； 〃that he is the son of a chief； and
that as sure as fate his Port Adams tribesmen will take a white man's head
in payment。〃
〃It is all so ghastly ridiculous；〃 Joan finally said。
〃Anderromantic；〃 he suggested slyly。
She did not answer； and turned away； but Sheldon knew that the shaft
had gone home。
〃That fella boy he sick； belly belong him walk about；〃 Binu Charley
said； pointing to the Poonga…Poonga man whose shoulder had been
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scratched by the arrow an hour before。
The boy was sitting down and groaning； his arms clasping his bent
knees； his head drooped forward and rolling painfully back and forth。
For fear of poison； Sheldon had immediately scarified the wound and
injected permanganate of potash； but in spite of the precaution the
shoulder was swelling rapidly。
〃We'll take him on to where Tudor is lying；〃 Joan said。 〃The walking
will help to keep up his circulation and scatter the poison。 Adamu Adam；
you take hold that boy。 Maybe he will want to sleep。 Shake him up。
If he sleep he die。〃
The advance was more rapid now； for Binu Charley placed the captive
bushman in front of him and made him clear the run…way of traps。 Once； at
a sharp turn where a man's shoulder would unavoidably brush against a
screen of leaves； the bushman displayed great caution as he spread the
leaves aside and exposed the head of a sharp…pointed spear； so set that the
casual passer…by would receive at the least a nasty scratch。
〃My word；〃 said Binu Charley； 〃that fella spear allee same devil…
devil。〃
He took the spear and was examining it when suddenly he made as if
to stick it into the bushman。 It was a bit of simulated playfulness； but the
bushman sprang back in evident fright。 Poisoned the weapon was beyond
any doubt； and thereafter Binu Charley carried it threateningly at the
prisoner's back。
The sun； sinking behind a lofty western peak； brought on an early but
lingering twilight； and the expedition plodded on through the evil forest
the place of mystery and fear； of death swift and silent and horrible； of
brutish appetite and degraded instinct； of human life that still wallowed in
the primeval slime； of savagery degenerate and abysmal。 No slightest
breezes blew in the gloomy silence； and the air was stale and humid and
suffocating。 The sweat poured unceasingly from their bodies； and in
their nostrils was the heavy smell of rotting vegetation and of black earth
that was a…crawl with fecund life。
They turned aside from the run…way at a place indicated by Binu
Charley； and； sometimes crawling on hands and knees through the damp
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black muck； at other times creeping and climbing through the tangled
undergrowth a dozen feet from the ground； they came to an immense
banyan tree； half an acre in extent； that made in the innermost heart of the
jungle a denser jungle of its own。 From out of its black depths came the
voice of a man singing in a cracked； eerie voice。
〃My word； that big fella marster he no die！〃
The singing stopped； and the voice； faint and weak； called out a hello。
Joan answered； and then the voice explained。
〃I'm not wandering。 I was just singing to keep my spirits up。 Have
you got anything to eat？〃
A few minutes saw the rescued man lying among blankets； while fires
were building； water was being carried； Joan's tent was going up； and
Lalaperu was overhauling the packs and opening tins of provisions。
Tudor； having pulled through the fever and started to mend； was still
frig