Atondido Stories
grotesqueness, as to make their large audience shake with laugh-
ter, they themselves keeping throughout all their grotesque
measures a solemn air, which only seemed to heighten the effect
of their antics.
And now came the chance of Beeargah the hawk. In the ex-
citement of the moment Goonur forgot the comebee, as did
Bootoolgah. They joined in the mirthful applause of the crowd,
and Goonur threw herself back helpless with laughter. As she
did so the comebee slipped from her arm. Then up jumped the
sick man from behind her, seized the comebee with his combo,
cut it open, snatched forth the firestick, set fire to the heap of
grass ready near where he had lain, and all before the two real-
ised their loss. When they discovered the precious comebee was
gone, up jumped Bootoolgah and Goonur. After Beeargah ran
Bootoolgah, but Beeargah had a start and was fleeter of foot, so
distanced his pursuer quickly. As he ran he fired the grass with
the stick he still held. Bootoolgah, finding he could not catch
Beeargah, and seeing fires everywhere, retired from the pursuit,
feeling it was useless now to try and guard their secret, for it had
now become the common property of all the tribes there assem-
bled.
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