But they
seemed somewhat impressed; and after a murmured consultation
they produced from their pockets certain little packages, and
with the utmost ease and accuracy tossed them into our hands.
Jeff was most appreciative of this; and Terry made extravagant
gestures of admiration, which seemed to set them off, boy-
fashion, to show their skill. While we ate the excellent biscuits
they had thrown us, and while Ellador kept a watchful eye on
our movements, Celis ran off to some distance, and set up a sort
of "duck-on-a-rock" arrangement, a big yellow nut on top of
three balanced sticks; Alima, meanwhile, gathering stones.
They urged us to throw at it, and we did, but the thing was
a long way off, and it was only after a number of failures, at
which those elvish damsels laughed delightedly, that Jeff succeeded
in bringing the whole structure to the ground. It took me still
longer, and Terry, to his intense annoyance, came third.
Then Celis set up the little tripod again, and looked back at
us, knocking it down, pointing at it, and shaking her short curls
severely.
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