then he left us.

We now had to ask the secretary if we could see the governor. He
inquired our business, but we didn't seem anxious to tell him.

"Anything private?" he said, with a smile.

"Well, sir," said I, "it's not exactly private, but it's not a very easy
thing to put straight before anybody, and if it don't make any
difference, we'd rather not have to tell it twice."

He hesitated for a minute, and then he said he'd see, and went into
another room.

"Now, look here," I whispered to Rectus, "if you're captain, you've got
to step up and do the talking. It isn't my place."

The secretary now returned, and said the governor could give us a few
minutes. I think the probability was that he was curious to know what
two boys and a girl could want with him.

The governor's office, into which we now were shown, was a large room,
with plenty of book-cases and shelves against the walls, and in the
middle of the floor a big table, which was covered with papers, packages
of manuscript tied up with tape, and every kind of thing necessary to
make matters look as if business was brisk in these islands. The
governor himself was a tall, handsome gentleman, not old a bit, as Corny
put it afterward, and dressed all in white linen, which gave him an air
of coolness and cleanness that was quite agreeable to us after our walk
in the sun. He was sitting at one end of the long table, and he politely
motioned us to seats at one side of him. I expect the secretary arranged
the chairs before we came in. We made our manners and sat down.

"Well," said he, "what can I do for you?"

If Corny hadn't been along, I don't believe he would have seen us at
all. There can be nothing attractive to a governor about two boys. But
almost any one would take an interest in a girl like Corny. The
secretary was very polite to her.

Rectus now gave his throat a little clearing, and pushed off.

"Our business with you, sir, is to see about doing something for a poor
queen, a very good and honest woman----"

"A poor but honest queen!" interrupted the governor, with a smile.

"Oh, he don't mean a common queen," said Corny, quickly. "He means a
black queen,--an African,--born royal, but taken prisoner when young,
and brought here, and she lives over there in the African settlements,
and sells peppers, but is just as much a queen as ever, you know, sir,
for selling things on a door-step can't take the royal blood out of a
person."

"Oh no, indee