[Illustration: "Out of the mud rose _five or six dozen mammoths_."]
Miserable as we were at such an astonishing spectacle we raised a tragic
cheer as Professor Bottomly sprang out of her hammock and, telling Dr.
Delmour to get a camera, seized her husband and sped down to where one of
the great, hairy frozen beasts lay on the ice in full sunshine.
And then we tasted the last drop of gall which our over-slopping cup of
bitterness held for us; Professor Bottomly climbed up the sides of the
frozen mammoth, dragging her husband with her, and stood there waving a
little American flag while Dr. Delmour used up every film in the camera
to record the scientific triumph of the ages.
[Illustration: "Dr. Delmour used up every film in the camera to record
the scientific triumph of the ages."]
Almost idiotic with the shock of my great grief I reeled and tottered
away among the bowlders. Fooss came to find me; and when he found me he
kicked me violently for some time. "Esel dumkopf!" he said.
When he was tired Lezard came and fell upon me, showering me with kicks
and anathema.
When he went away I beat my head with my fists for a while.
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