At length she came to me one morning wearing it,and carrying another garment which she had fashioned similarly,but of the dried leaves of a tough evergreen.It had the strength almost of leather,and the appearance of scale-armour.I put it on at once,and we always thereafter wore those garments when on horseback.
For,on the outskirts of the forest,had appeared one day a troop of full-grown horses,with which,as they were nowise alarmed at creatures of a shape so different from their own,I had soon made friends,and two of the finest I had trained for Lona and myself.
Already accustomed to ride a small one,her delight was great when first she looked down from the back of an animal of the giant kind;and the horse showed himself proud of the burden he bore.We exercised them every day until they had such confidence in us as to obey instantly and fear nothing;after which we always rode them at parade and on the march.
The undertaking did indeed at times appear to me a foolhardy one,but the confidence of the woman of Bulika,real or simulated,always overcame my hesitancy.The princess's magic,she insisted,would prove powerless against the children;and as to any force she might muster,our animal-allies alone would assure our superiority:
she was herself,she said,ready,with a good stick,to encounter any two men of Bulika.She confessed to not a little fear of the leopardess,but I was myself ready for her.I shrank,however,from carrying ALL the children with us.
"Would it not be better,"I said,"that you remained in the forest with your baby and the smallest of the Little Ones?"She answered that she greatly relied on the impression the sight of them would make on the women,especially the mothers.
"When they see the darlings,"she said,"their hearts will be taken by storm;and I must be there encouraging them to make a stand!If there be a remnant of hardihood in the place,it will be found among the women!""YOU must not encumber yourself,"I said to Lona,"with any of the children;you will be wanted everywhere!"For there were two babies besides the woman's,and even on horseback she had almost always one in her arms.
"I do not remember ever being without a child to take care of,"she answered;"but when we reach the city,it shall be as you wish!"Her confidence in one who had failed so unworthily,shamed me.But neither had I initiated the movement,nor had I any ground for opposing it;I had no choice,but must give it the best help Icould!For myself,I was ready to live or die with Lona.Her humility as well as her trust humbled me,and I gave myself heartily to her purposes.
Our way lying across a grassy plain,there was no need to take food for the horses,or the two cows which would accompany us for the infants;but the elephants had to be provided for.True,the grass was as good for them as for those other animals,but it was short,and with their one-fingered long noses,they could not pick enough for a single meal.We had,therefore,set the whole colony to gather grass and make hay,of which the elephants themselves could carry a quantity sufficient to last them several days,with the supplement of what we would gather fresh every time we halted.For the bears we stored nuts,and for ourselves dried plenty of fruits.
We had caught and tamed several more of the big horses,and now having loaded them and the elephants with these provisions,we were prepared to set out.
Then Lona and I held a general review,and I made them a little speech.I began by telling them that I had learned a good deal about them,and knew now where they came from.
"We did not come from anywhere,"they cried,interrupting me;"we are here!"I told them that every one of them had a mother of his own,like the mother of the last baby;that I believed they had all been brought from Bulika when they were so small that they could not now remember it;that the wicked princess there was so afraid of babies,and so determined to destroy them,that their mothers had to carry them away and leave them where she could not find them;and that now we were going to Bulika,to find their mothers,and deliver them from the bad giantess.
"But I must tell you,"I continued,"that there is danger before us,for,as you know,we may have to fight hard to take the city.""We can fight!we are ready!"cried the boys.
"Yes,you can,"I returned,"and I know you will:mothers are worth fighting for!Only mind,you must all keep together.""Yes,yes;we'll take care of each other,"they answered."Nobody shall touch one of us but his own mother!""You must mind,every one,to do immediately what your officers tell you!""We will,we will!--Now we're quite ready!Let us go!""Another thing you must not forget,"I went on:"when you strike,be sure you make it a downright swinging blow;when you shoot an arrow,draw it to the head;when you sling a stone,sling it strong and straight.""That we will!"they cried with jubilant,fearless shout.
"Perhaps you will be hurt!"
"We don't mind that!--Do we,boys?"
"Not a bit!"
"Some of you may very possibly be killed!"I said.
"I don't mind being killed!"cried one of the finest of the smaller boys:he rode a beautiful little bull,which galloped and jumped like a horse.
"I don't either!I don't either!"came from all sides.
Then Lona,queen and mother and sister of them all,spoke from her big horse by my side:
"I would give my life,"she said,"to have my mother!She might kill me if she liked!I should just kiss her and die!""Come along,boys!"cried a girl."We're going to our mothers!"A pang went through my heart.--But I could not draw back;it would be moral ruin to the Little Ones!