Argosy, Vol. 120, No. 1 — page 13: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

t NAKED MEN OF NAGA. 3 On the present fateful occasion the good pastor of the mission tabernacle, on hear- ing Smith’s thundering decision that the city was a “gorblimey ’ole in ’ell,” had pre- vailed upon Poonoosawmi to take only one bottle of whisky, The natural result was that when Smith had placed a whole long day’s journey between himself and the benefits of civili- zation, there was nothing left with which to ~ still the insistent call of his strenuous spirit. The vast surplus of energy had to be worked off somehow, of course; and so Poonoosawmi wept and cursed the noble impulse which had resulted in driving his restless master to the far confines of the Lushai, and which was still running strong. A couple of hours later Smith stopped with a sudden grunt,-and pointed to a broad swath of a trai] through the lushy undergrowth, Poonoosawmi looked and sucked in his cheeks like a baby gibbon. “Yes, marshter,” he said, ‘ this is dam funny thing. Kukis is always traveling in the single file like the crook; but this party is going like the elephants. It is, alas, therefore, for the ooziness which squirms between my toes, for thereby is no foot- prints available, This trail is, moreover, three days old.” “ Four,” grunted Smith, “ or five. at that basuli vine, “¢ Verily, ” agreed Pobnoosawnil “ And thereby is yet more wonderful; for having come five days gone, whyfore is staying on bamboo tope only six miles forward? Look How I know it is bamboo? For why, with- . out semiopen foliage of bamboo patch how shall the kite see?” Poonoosawmi’s satisfaction at his own cleverness was that of a tickled monkey, His master’s eyes puckeréd with shrewd approval. “Good boy,” he muttered, and strode across the track. For another couple of hours they ducked and climbed and scram- bled through dripping. brush and hook- . thorned vines till they began to come to firmer ground on a long slope. Suddenly Poonoosawmi tugged at Smith’s coat and pointed in silence. Smith studied e Six inches growth a°- bunch of fool white men. the faint trail with narrow eyes and then- pressed lips. Poonoosawmi rose on his tip- toes and whispered: ‘Single man. Trail less than one day old.” Smith nodded refiectively, sucking i in his breath. Then: “‘ This one, I think, we follow. He goes our way.” Even to Poonoosawmi, who knew his mas- ter so well, it was always a source of wonder to see how that massive man proceeded to drift through the undergrowth with no more sound than one of the great pad-footed cats of the jungle. Suddenly he stopped with one foot raised, like a pointing hound. Poonoosawmi peered under his arm. For a long minute Smith took in every detail, and then cautiously, very cautiously, he drew back. Well out of sight he backed, and then he stooped to Poonoosawmi’s ear, and whispered the single illuminating word:. 6 Naga! ”? Poonoosawmi was quaking with a piteous terror in his face. It was moments before he was able to stammer: “ Marshter, this is most fearsome sign, Those naked savage fellow from the north is up to no good business, I think bet- ter, marshter, you shoot him now for the saving of the treachery.” “* Shut up, you heathen!” growled Smith, *‘ Not heathen, marshter,” Poonoosawmi moaned. “ That fellow is heathen, and I am Christian convert. Therefore, is his. rage boundless.” Smith displayed his sympathy by kicking his servant gently in the shins. Poonoo- sawmi stepped warily back and murmured with a martyr’s resignation: ‘“*T am dead. But in God is my trust.” ‘‘ Fool!” growled Smith furiously. ‘“ His spear isn’t a war spear. He’s just watch- ing the other gang. For what wicked rea-- son is for me to find out. And by the same token I'll bet now that they’re a So we'll just duck round an’ investigate.” They made a wide detour to avoid the tall sentinel, and headed once again in the. direction where they knew the patch of suspicious jungle should lie. Stddenly Smith stopped with an exclamation, and CoOMmiicloo (-) CO Le ee Aste