"Here, that's no way to treat my camera!" Billy was indignantly
beginning, when Frank gripped his shoulder in an iron-clutch and
whispered:

"Shut up; if you don't want to make more trouble."

Billy was starting on an angry remonstrance when he caught Frank's
eye. The young leader was really angry and Billy prudently
refrained from saying any more.

As for Sikaso--after demolishing Billy's machine, he turned to the
tribesmen and addressing them in stately tones said--as he afterward
translated it to Frank:

"Village fools. You see there is no magic in the little black box.
It is nothing but a child's plaything for the fat, spectacled
idiot." (This part of the oration Frank did not communicate to
Billy.) "You see I have smashed it. Do I fear? Do I look now like
a man in terror of the white man's medicine. It is nothing. It is
broken and gone like the cloud before the wind, like the shadow on
the mountain side."

The effect of all this was soothing and the boys left the camp, to
order some of their packmen to bring home the provisions, with light
hearts. As for Billy his ears burned by the time Frank got through
reading him a lecture.

"I'm sorry," he said bravely, "and I won't do it again. Gee! talk
about 'press the button and we'll do the rest.'"