tree teaching a cockatoo, also hot and panting, but laughing low through
his white beard; and Bingong, black, hatless--less everything but a pair
of trousers which only reached to his knees--was dividing his time
between the cockatoo and my wife.

Presently Bingong sighted an iguana and caught it, and the three gathered
about it in the shade of the sandal. After a time the interest in the
iguana seemed to have shifted to something else; and they were all
speaking very earnestly. At last I saw Billy and my wife only talking.
Billy was excited, and apparently indignant. I could not hear what they
were saying, but I saw he was pale, and his compatriots in worship rather
frightened; for he suddenly got into a lofty rage. It was undoubtedly a
quarrel. Mulholland saw, too, and said to me: "This looks as if there
would be a chance for you yet." He laughed. So did I.

Soon I saw by my wife's face that she was saying something sarcastical.
Then Billy drew himself up very proudly, and waving his hand in a grand
way, said loudly, so that we could hear: "It's as true as gospel; and
you'll be sorry for this-like anything and anything!" Then he stalked
away from her, raising his hat proudly, but immediately turned, and
beckoning to Eversofar and Bingong added: "Come on with me to barracks,
you two."

They started away towards him, looking sheepishly at my wife as they did
so; but Billy finding occasion to give counter-orders, said: "But you
needn't come until you put the cockatoos away, and stuck the iguana in
a barrel, and put the hose up for--for her."

He watched them obey his orders, his head in the air the while, and when
they had finished, and were come towards him, he again took off his hat,