le suspicion on their collecting
propensities. None but _abatagati_, or evilly disposed sorcerers, went
about collecting insects and plants, it was argued--of course to work
witchcraft with--and they had deemed it wise to refrain. Their position
was quite risky enough without doing anything to add to its
complications, and now here was one of the most influential men in the
nation--and toward themselves the most hostile--entering just in time to
find them capturing one of the ugliest and most vicious specimens of the
insect world. What could they want with such save for purposes of
witchcraft?

"The King, the Great Great One, has a word unto ye two," began Dumaliso.

They nodded assent.

"With the firearms we have taken from the slave-hunting dogs many of the
King's warriors might be armed. His `word' is that ye shall teach them
to shoot, beginning with myself."

"What do you think of the idea, Oakley?" said Haviland, when he had
translated this to his companion, who was himself picking up a moderate
knowledge of the tongue.

"Seems reasonable. You see, it isn't like arming them against our own
countrymen, because they'll never see any of them, and to arm them
against the slave-hunters is all right. We'd better agree."

"I think so too." Whereupon, turning to the chief, they expressed their
willingness to organise a corps of sharpshooters among the more
promising of the Inswani.

"That is well," said Dumaliso, rising. "And now, O strangers, if you
would see the end of this dog Mushad, the time is at hand."

"Tell him we don't want to see it, Haviland. Brute as Mushad is, I
don't want to see him tortured. It makes me sick."

Haviland at first made no reply. He seemed to be thinking.

"We will go, Oakley," he said at last. "I have got an idea or saving
the poor brute from torture, at any rate."

As they went forth with Dumaliso, a strange subdued roar was arising,
and from every part of the town people were hurrying towards the great
space at the head of which stood the King's throne. In thousands and
thousands the densely packed mass of surging humanity blocked the way,
and it required all Dumaliso's authority to clear a passage. A new
spectacle seemed to be anticipated, and the pitiless crowd thrilled with
delight as it speculated by what particular form of torment their
traditional enemy was to die. It was horrible, and there, thickly
studding the outer stockade, were numerous fresh heads, g