very difficult for
them to substitute the name of the Fernan Vaz for that of some other
river, and to mention King Olomba instead of some other king."

"N-o-o," said the skipper dubiously; "it would not. Yet I cannot see
why, if they had recognised me, they should have gone to the trouble of
spinning an elaborate yarn merely to deceive me. It would have been
just as easy for them to have knifed me, for there were seven of them,
while I was quite alone. No, I don't quite see--"

"Do you not, sir?" I interrupted with a smile.

"I do. I see quite clearly two very excellent reasons why they did not
resort to the rough and ready method of the knife. In the first place,
these fellows attach a ridiculously high value to their own skins, and
never seem to imperil them when an alternative will serve their purpose
equally well; and although they were seven to one, if they really
recognised you they would know perfectly well that, while the ultimate
result of a fight would probably be in their favour, you would certainly
not perish alone; and I suppose none of them were particularly anxious
to accompany you into the Great Beyond. And, apart from that, they
would know quite well that were the captain of a British man-o'-war to
go a-missing there would be such a stir among their rookeries that soon
there would be no rookeries left. Oh, no, sir! glad as they might be to
put you quietly out of the way if they had the chance, depend upon it
the last thing that they would dream of would be to attempt anything of
the sort in Sierra Leone."

"Well, well, well, perhaps you are right, young gentleman, perhaps you
are right. You seem to have quite a gift for reasoning things out,"
replied the skipper, as he pocketed his map and hove himself up into a
standing position. "But it is high time that we should get under way,
for the sun is setting, and we shall have all our work cut out to find
our road back to the boat. Do you think you will be able to find the
gig, Cupid?"

"Yes, I fit, sar," answered the Krooboy. "But we mus' make plenty
haste; for dem darkness he come too much plenty soon, an' if we slip and
fall into dem mud we lib for die one time."

"Ay, ay," answered the skipper, with an involuntary shudder at the
hideous fate thus tersely sketched by Cupid; "I know that, my lad,
without any telling; so heave ahead as smartly as you like."

And therewith we started upon our return journey with all speed;
striding, leap