n their faces to the earth,
grovelling and howling loudly for mercy. And only just in the nick of
time, too, so far as the white men were concerned, for had the courage
of the savages lasted long enough to carry them a further fifty yards,
they would have arrived within striking distance, and a most
distinguished scientist, in the person of Professor Heinrich von
Schalckenberg, would have been "wiped out," and his three friends with
him.

"Ah!" ejaculated Sir Reginald, "that was `touch and go' with us, and no
mistake! Now, Professor, if you can make them understand you, just ask
them what the dickens they mean by attacking white men in that
gratuitous and light-hearted fashion; and then explain to them that we
have no desire at all to do them the slightest harm if they will but
behave civilly to us."

The professor raised his hand and called, in half a dozen different
dialects, for silence, whereupon one of the savages presently rose to
his feet and delivered himself of a few remarks, in the tones of a
highly injured individual. And then followed quite a lengthy dialogue
between him and the professor, at the conclusion of which the latter,
turning to his friends, explained--

"This fellow, who calls himself 'Msusa, and his tribe the Luewi, informs
me--so far as I can comprehend him--that they attacked us because, some
time ago--I cannot make out how long--some people, wearing long beards,
like ourselves, came here and stole a large number of their young men;
and the Luewi, when they saw us, mistook us for those same thieves come
back upon another man-stealing expedition, which they promptly
determined to nip in the bud."

"Quite right of them, too," agreed Sir Reginald. "But you had better
explain to them, Professor, that it is unwise of them to jump to
conclusions with such lightning-like rapidity as they have just
exhibited, and also that white men are by no means all of them
slave-dealers--which, I take it, is what those other fellows are. And,
by the way, did you mention that we are tired and hungry, and wish to be
guided to the river?"

"Not yet," answered the professor. "Our friend 'Msusa was so busy
explaining and apologising for the attack upon us that I have not yet
had the chance. But I will, though, at once."

And then ensued another long palaver between von Schalckenberg and the
savage, its excessive length being due, as the former explained, to the
difficulty experienced by the principals in