IN AFRICAN FOREST AND JUNGLE 



kinds of monkeys living there; 1 could tell every 

 species by hearing them, for no two uttered the same 

 kind of sounds. 



As I was thinking of these things, Ndova suddenly 

 jumped upon my shoulders, uttering at the same 

 time sounds of affection, and began at once to play 

 with my hair, which was always a favorite pastime 

 with him. When he got tired of this, he jumped 

 down on my lap, and began to play with my hand 

 and tried to get hold of two or three freckles I had 

 upon them. He tried and tried in vain to pick them 

 off; then he became excited, for he could not under- 

 stand why he could not take them off. It always 

 amused me to see Ndova vexed, for his eyes glared 

 in such a peculiar manner. At last he gave up try- 

 ing to pick off the freckles. 



After this little outburst of temper he regained his 

 equanimity, and began to be himself again, full of 

 life and frolic. That made me feel happy, too, for I 

 thought a good deal of my friend Ndova. I did not 

 forget that he had sometimes saved me from hunger ; 

 then did not his capers, queer gestures, and comical 

 grimaces amuse me many times ? Was he not our 

 companion in the great forest, one of us indeed ? 

 Andekko was a brave dog, but he had not the queer, 

 amusing ways of Ndova, nor his human look. I 



92 



♦» 



Ji 



