Page:Hugh Pendexter--Tiberius Smith.djvu/57

 Snow Men to be harmed and will be very angry if they are.'

"The answer, as finally translated by Tib to me, was to the effect that we were magnificent liars and not on to the real disposition of Mr. Dog. The ignoramuses contended that we must pass out in order to placate their deity, and were very much displeased because we did not look upon our part in the humane ceremony with more fervor. While Tib was trying to toss back a fitting Roland for this amiable Oliver the ring broke up and we were hurried along towards the east. We marched rapidly all that day, the interpreter cheering us on the way with a dirge which we were given to understand was his swan song. At night we joined another horde of the sky-scrapers under another chief, and passed the long, dark hours unbound, but carefully guarded by a circle of hungry-looking dogs. I never saw so many dogs in one family before, and I began to appreciate that the canine was a great institution among these embryo policemen.

"It was the second morning after our capture that Tib and I discovered that which surprised us more than the finding of the giants themselves. For after our captor and the new chief had conversed for a few minutes, and Tib had wanted to bet neither understood what the other was saying, they sat down on some skin art-squares near us, and