effect on their
sable companion. Even sundry shrewd hints, thrown out by Phil Briant,
that "the steward had always command o' the wittles, and that his
assistant would only have to help himself when convanient," failed to
move him.

"Well, Nippi-Boo-Tumble," cried Tim Rokens, who in his disappointment
unceremoniously contracted his name, "it's my opinion--private opinion,
mark'ee--that you're a ass, an' you'll come for to repent of it."

"Troth, Nippi-Bumble, he's about right," added Briant coaxingly. "Come
now, avic, wot's the raisin ye won't go? Sure we ain't blackguards
enough to ax ye to come for to be sold; it's all fair and above board.
Why won't ye, now?"

The negro stopped, and turning towards them, drew himself proudly up;
then, as if a sudden thought had occurred to him, he advanced a step and
held up his forefinger to impose silence.

"You no tell what I go to say? at least, not for one, two day."

"Niver a word, honour bright," said Phil, in a confidential tone, while
Rokens expressed the same sentiment by means of an emphatic wink and
nod.

"You mus' know," said the negro, earnestly, "me expec's to be made a
king!"

"A wot?" exclaimed both his companions in the same breath, and very much
in the same tone.

"A king."

"Wot?" said Rokens; "d'ye mean, a ruler of this here country?"

Neepeelootambo nodded his head so violently that it was a marvel it
remained on his shoulders.

"Yis. Ho! ho! ho! 'xpec's to be a king."

"And when are ye to be crowned, Bumble?" inquired Briant, rather
sceptically, as they resumed their walk.

"Oh, me no say me _goin'_ to be king; me only _'xpec's_ dat."

"Werry good," returned Rokens; "but wot makes ye for to expect it?"

"Aha! Me berry clebber fellow--know most ebbery ting. Me hab doo'd
good service to dis here country. Me can fight like one leopard, and me
hab kill great few elephant and gorilla. Not much mans here hab shoot
de gorilla, him sich terriferick beast; 'bove five foot six tall, and
bigger round de breast dan you or me--dat is a great true fact. Also,
me can spok Englis'."

"An' so you expec's they're goin' to make you a king for all that?"

"Yis, dat is fat me 'xpec's, for our old king be just dead; but dey
nebber tell who dey going to make king till dey do it. I not more sure
ob it dan the nigger dat walk dare before you."

Neepeelootambo pointed as he spoke to a negro who certainly had a more
kingly aspect than any native they had