As if about to hurl it at me. It was not a pleasant position, and my
first impulse was to raise my gun to my shoulder; but my second was to
stand firm, resting on my piece, and I waved my hand to him to lower the
spear. The boy hesitated, uttered a fierce cry, and stamped one foot
angrily; but I waved my hand again, and, thrusting my hand into my
pocket, pulled out a ring of brass wire, such as we carried many of for
presents to the savages, and I tossed it to him. I saw the boy's eyes
glitter with eagerness, but he was too suspicious to move, and so we
stood for some minutes, during which I wondered whether my companions
had heard the report of my gun, and if so whether they would come up
soon. If they did I was sure they would alarm the boy, who seemed as
suspicious as some wild creature and shook his spear menacingly as soon
as I took a step forward. A thought struck me just then as I saw a red
spot glisten on a leaf, and stepping forward I saw another and another,
which I pointed to, and then again at a continuous series of them
leading towards the dense bush. I took a few more steps forward when the
boy suddenly bounded to my side as if he realised that I had saved his
life and that he was bound to try and save me in turn. He uttered some
words fiercely, and, catching my arm, drew me back, pointing his spear
menacingly in the direction taken by the great savage, and in response
to his excited words I nodded and smiled and yielded to his touch. We
had not taken many steps before he stopped short to stand and stare at
me wonderingly, saying something the while. Then he touched me, and as I
raised my hand to grasp his he u
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