With increasing bewilderment I looked at our leader. He smiled, and then
looked thoughtful for a moment before again speaking. At last he said:

"It's a subject that I may be better able to discuss after I have learned
more about it. All I can say at present is that it appears to be a kind
of telepathy. You know that their voices seem hardly more cultivated, or
capable of regular articulation, than those of mere brutes; and, besides,
they have a certain horror of sound. These smiths wear coverings over
their ears to minify the noise of their hammering. Yet they are able to
converse, partly by physical signs, but more, I am sure, by some means
which they possess of transferring thought without the mediation of any
senses familiar to us. Sometimes I imagine that their extraordinary eyes
play a large part in the phenomenon. But, however that may be, they
certainly are able to read some of my thoughts, when we are in close
relations and working together. One of them is especially gifted in this
way, and what do you think? I have discovered his name!"

"Now, Edmund--" I began incredulously.

"Yes," he persisted, "it's a fact. You are to remember that they do
interchange some of their ideas by means of sounds, and they have certain
words, among which I am disposed to think are their individual
designations. One of these words particularly attracted my attention
because I observed that it was always addressed to the person I have just
spoken of, and I finally concluded that it was his name. As near as I can
imitate it, it sounds something like 'Juba.' So that's what I call him,
and he's going to be the chief of the party that I propose to take with
us. His services may be invaluable to us."