er before seen a white man. At length, however, the
procession reached the central square, and after having, in obedience to
signs, deposited their burdens in one of the biggest of the buildings,
the prisoners were divided up and marched away, Dick and Earle, to their
mutual delight, being placed together in a small hut, which was at once
surrounded by an armed guard of such strength as to render escape
impossible.

Fortunately, their limbs were not bound, or their movements hampered in
any way, therefore the moment that the wattle door of their prison was
slammed upon them and barred on the outside, the pair joyously shook
hands as they exchanged greetings.

"Well, Dick, how goes it, old son?" demanded Earle, as he wrung his
friend's hand. "Tired?"

"Yes, I am, a bit," admitted Dick; "tired, and thirsty too. And just
look at me. Jove! I'm ashamed to be seen. I feel as though I hadn't
washed for a month. And you don't look very much better, old chap.
Say! what would you give for a swim in a good, deep river, free from
alligators, at this moment?"

"What would I give?" repeated Earle. "Why, a thousand good American
dollars, willingly. And I'm not sure that I should worry very much as
to whether there were any 'gators in it, or not. By the way, how did
you come off that morning when those ginks rushed the camp? Did you get
hurt any?"

"Not a scratch," answered Dick. "Hadn't a chance to. The beggars were
upon me and had me trussed up so that I couldn't move hand or foot,
before my eyes were fairly open. Hadn't even time to make a snatch for
my revolver. Did you get hurt at all?"

"Nope," replied Earle. "I was just as completely taken by surprise as
you were. And I am not at all sure, Dick, but that it was as well. If
we--you and I--had been able to put up a fight, we could never have
beaten them off, there were too many of them. We should no doubt have
killed a few, but it would have ended eventually in our meeting the same
fate as poor old King Cole. Poor chap! I'm sorry they killed him."

"So am I," agreed Dick. "But I suppose it was bound to be. He would
never have allowed them to lay hands upon either of us, so they would be
compelled to kill him, sooner or later. And I believe he did not suffer
much. They must have killed him on the spot, I think. Peace to his
ashes! And now, what do you think is going to happen to us?"

"I don't know," answered Earle, suddenly adopting a much grave