Did you notice that
black fellow, Norman, opening his great mouth at us? I verily believe he
would like to eat us!"

Norman appealed to the Governor, who was walking at his other side. "Do
they often eat distinguished strangers here?" he said, in as indifferent
a tone as he could assume.

"Not often--not ever!" was the welcome reply. "They are not good for it.
Pigs we eat, for they are fat. This old man is thin."

"And thankful to be so!" muttered the elder traveller. "Beaten we shall
be without a doubt. It's a comfort to know it won't be Beaten without
the B! My dear boy, just look at the peacocks!"

They were now walking between two unbroken lines of those gorgeous
birds, each held in check, by means of a golden collar and chain, by a
black slave, who stood well behind, so as not to interrupt the view of
the glittering tail, with its network of rustling feathers and its
hundred eyes.

The Governor smiled proudly. "In your honour," he said, "Her Radiancy
has ordered up ten thousand additional peacocks. She will, no doubt,
decorate you, before you go, with the usual Star and Feathers."

"It'll be Star without the S!" faltered one of his hearers.

"Come, come! Don't lose heart!" said the other. "All this is full of
charm for me."

"You are young, Norman," sighed his father; "young and light-hearted.
For me, it is Charm without the C."

"The old one is sad," the Governor remarked with some anxiety. "He has,
without doubt, effected some fearful crime?"

"But I haven't!" the poor old gentleman hastily exclaimed. "Tell him I
haven't, Norman!"

"He has not, as yet," Norman gently explained. And the Governor
repeated, in a satisfied tone, "Not as yet."

"Yours is a wondrous country!" the Governor resumed, after a pause. "Now
here is a letter from a friend of mine, a merchant, in London. He and
his brother went there a year ago, with a thousand pounds apiece; and on
New-Year's-day they had sixty thousand pounds between them!"

"How did they do it?" Norman eagerly exclaimed. Even the elder traveller
looked excited.

The Governor handed him the open letter. "Anybody can do it, when once
they know how," so ran this oracular document. "We borrowed nought: we
stole nought. We began the year with only a thousand pounds apiece: and
last New-Year's-day we had sixty thousand pounds between us--sixty
thousand golden sovereigns!"

Norman looked grave and thoughtful as he handed back the letter. His
father hazarded one