plaint, all our expressed wants being instantly
satisfied so far as the resources of the king will permit."

Mrs Scott having thus brought her story to an end, the gentlemen
expressed their sympathy and condolences, and the conversation gradually
grew more general. At length, much as they would have liked to prolong
the interview, they felt that they had already lengthened it out almost
beyond the bounds of prudence, so they rose to take leave, uttering a
few encouraging remarks, which Sir Reginald rounded off with an
exhortation to them to be ever on the watch, and to hold themselves in
readiness for flight at a moment's notice, adding that one or other of
the gentlemen would visit them as often as possible and keep them well
informed upon the progress of events.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

RETRIBUTION OVERTAKES KING M'BONGWELE.

King M'Bongwele had evidently been keenly on the watch for the return of
the four prisoners, for they had scarcely had time to enter their hut
when the monarch presented himself before them, and, with some little
impatience of manner, began his interrogations with the single word:

"Well?"

"We can cure them," briefly answered the professor.

"Good!" ejaculated the king, his impatience yielding to almost childish
delight. "When is the cure to be performed?"

"Within one span of the sun's journey through the sky after we have
administered a certain medicine, which we must procure from the ship.
Provide us each with a horse to go and fetch this medicine, and I
promise you, that before you see the stars to-night those women shall be
in as full possession of their reason as you are."

"No," said the king, eyeing the professor keenly, "I will arrange better
than that. You shall tell Lualamba where to find this wonderful
medicine, and he shall fetch it for you."

"That will not do at all," answered the professor. "Lualamba could
never find the medicine; he could not even gain access to the ship. We
must fetch it ourselves."

M'Bongwele rested his chin in his hand for some minutes, pondering
deeply. Then he rose to his feet and stalked out of the hut again
without vouchsafing a word, either "yea" or "nay."

"He is not quite such a fool as he looks," was the baronet's sole
comment upon this strange behaviour, and then they sat down to luncheon.

The king, upon re-entering his palace, at once sent for Lualamba, and,
upon that chief making his appearance, issued strict orders that eve