aken the right way, and you
will find that they will undertake the task with pleasure. Leave it to
me, sir."

That night the whole party lay down in the hut within the stockade. On
the following day they returned to the river, and with the help of the
natives had transferred all their belongings to the hut before darkness
fell. But it was a more difficult matter to bring the winding gear
through, and almost a week passed before it was in position. By then
Dick was beginning to feel that he knew something of the work, and even
found that he could make himself understood by the natives.

"I shall have no fears for you when we leave," said Mr Pepson, one
evening as they smoked their pipes outside the hut. "You hit it off
well with the natives, and you understand their methods of getting gold.
You will store it, check the amounts they obtain, and pay them in gold
dust if they require their money. If not, you will show them what they
have earned, with the promise that payment will be made at any time.
The store of metal you will keep here. Have no fears for it. I don't
believe any one will dare to interfere with you. Now for our movements.
I shall wait a little longer till this scalp wound is healed, and then
Meinheer, our Dutch agent and I will return to the coast. We shall
leave Johnnie and the launch with you, for you will need to send down
for stores, and to deposit the gold, and we can return with as much ease
by means of one of the boats. Our friend, the agent, tells us that the
wind will be set down-stream, and that a sail will carry us to the sea
almost as soon as would a propeller. From there to Elmina and Cape
Coast Castle is nothing."

Accordingly, some three weeks later, the party set out, Dick passing
with them through the forest to the landing-stage. One by one they
shook hands with him and entered the native boat. Meinheer Van Somering
swept his hat from his head and gave a deep flourish and bow. Mr
Pepson smiled his encouraging smile, while the agent busied himself with
the sail.

"Push off!" sang out the leader, and at the shout Dick sent the boat out
into the stream. Her head was pointed down towards the river Pra, her
sail filled, and within a minute Dick was alone in the forest. His
duties had commenced, he was now sole agent for the gold-miners, the
only white man in that part of the African forests. He turned on his
heel, saw that the launch and the other boats were firmly secured