The heat, the smell, the noise, the excitement of the scene were intoxicating without alcohol. But rum flowed literally in buckets, and palm wine several days old, which is even stronger. Wilson ventured to urge caution after a while, and at length Leboeuf tore himself away. Men came and went all the time, so their departure was unnoticed.
They reached the hut of boughs, now finished. Leboeuf threw himself down and slept; relieved of anxiety, Wilson set off to gather orchids. Malela appears to be a fine hunting-ground for collectors, but he only mentions the fact to explain his imprudence in leaving Leboeuf for some hours. The latter woke, found himself quite alone--for all the servants were merry-making, of course--and he also started off collecting. Unfortunately he traversed the village. And some of the chiefs took him in a friendly spirit to the barrel under the tree.
Wilson was returning--happy with a load of new orchids maybe--when he heard a shot, followed by a clamour of young voices. Next instant a swarm of children burst from the forest, and ran screaming across the open ground. Wilson had heard that cry before. His blood chilled. If the men of the other village were furious, how would it be with these drunken savages! He hurried to the spot whence the children had emerged.
As their voices died away he became conscious of shouting--an exultant tone. It was Leboeuf. They met in the outskirts of the wood. At sight of Wilson he bawled--
'Hi, young un! got any weeds to sell? Give you tuppence for the lot. Pretty flowers--all a-blowing and a-growing! Take 'em to the missus! The ladies loves you chaps. I say, what'll old Cutter look like when he sees _that_?' Leboeuf threw down an animal which he carried on his shoulder, and danced round it, shouting and laughing.
It was a small creature, brownish grey, with enormous ears very human in shape, long skeleton hands, and a bushy tail thicker than a lady's boa. By that and the ears Wilson recognised the Madagascar sloth, rarest of all animals then in museums, and very rare still. He had no particular reason to suspect that the natives reverenced it, but a beast so eerie in appearance and habits might well be thought sacred.