CHAPTER X

THE CAPTAIN EXPLORES

Captain Horn had heard the story of Cheditafa, he walked away from the rest of the party, and stood, his eyes upon the ground, still mechanically holding his gun. He now knew that the great danger he had feared had been a real one, and far greater than he had imagined. A systematic attack by all the Rackbirds would have swept away his single resistance as the waters had swept them and their camp away. As to parley or compromise with those wretches, he knew that it would have been useless to think of it. They allowed no one to go forth from their hands to reveal the place of their rendezvous.

But although he was able to appreciate at its full force the danger with which they had been threatened, his soul could not immediately adjust itself to the new conditions. It had been pressed down so far that it could not easily rise again. He felt that he must make himself believe in the relief which had come to them, and, turning sharply, he called out to Cheditafa:

"Man, since you have been in this part of the country, have you ever seen or heard of any wild beasts here? Are there any jaguars or pumas?"

The African shook his head. "No, no," said he, "no wild beasts. Everybody sleep out of doors. No think of beasts--no snakes."

The captain dropped his gun upon the ground. "Miss Markham!" he exclaimed. "Mrs. Cliff! I truly believe we are out of all danger--that we--"

Answer the following questions:
1. Who did Horn talk to about danger?
2. Where he is from?
3. What animals Horn mentioned?
4. Did he mention any other creatures?
5. Did Cheditafa see any of those?
6. Did he feel safe there all his life?
7. Did they sleep outside regularly?
8. Did they have to worry about any animal attack?
9. Did Horn faced any danger from animals in this story?
10. Did the danger exceed his expectation?
11. What was the danger from?
12. How they attacked?
13. Did he have to defend by himself?
14. Did he feel overwhelmed?
15. Did he try to compromise in any way with the creatures?
16. Were they hiding something?
17. what?
18. At the end where Horn drop his gun?
19. Did he try to assure someone something?
20. to whom?
21. About what?

Numbered answers:
1. Cheditafa
2. Africa
3. jaguars or pumas
4. snakes
5. No
6. yes
7. yes
8. no
9. yes
10. yes
11. Rackbirds
12. in a systematic way
13. yes
14. yes
15. no
16. yes
17. their rendezvous
18. upon the ground.
19. yes
20. Miss Markham and Mrs. Cliff
21. the danger