very singular appearance. They had bald heads and thin hatchet faces,
wrinkled and warty, and long noses; and they all wore black silk
clothes--coat, waistcoat and knickerbockers, but without shoes and
stockings; their thin black legs and feet were bare; nor did they
have anything on their bald heads. They were gathered round Martin
in a circle, but a very wide circle quite twenty to thirty feet away
from him, and some were walking about, others standing alone or in
groups, talking together, and all looking at Martin. Only one who
appeared to be the most important person of the company kept inside
the circle, and whenever one or more of the others came forward a
few steps he held up his hand and begged them to go back a little.

"We must not be in a hurry," he said. "We must wait."

"Wait for what?" asked one.

"For what may happen," said the important one. "I must ask you again
to leave it to me to decide when it is time to begin." Then he
strutted up and down in the open space, turning now towards his
fellows and again to Martin, moving his head about to get a better
sight of his face. Then, putting his hand down between his coat and
waistcoat he drew out a knife with a long shining blade, and holding
it from him looked attentively at it. By and by he breathed gently
on the bright blade, then pulling out a black silk pocket
handkerchief wiped off the stain of his breath, and turning the
blade about made it glitter in the sun. Then he put it back under
his coat and resumed his walk up and down.

"We are getting very hungry," said one of the others at length.