, and Dick was free, unharmed, and in their midst,
boiling over with gladness and exultation. They picked him up as if he
had been a child, and bore him in triumph to the stockade.

"Bang de door," said Johnnie, taking upon himself the command of the
station. "Now, yo men, jest put de massa down--so. Not throw him down,
silly!"

Utterly oblivious of the fact that the Ashanti gold-miners could not
understand, he gave his commands in a tone of comical haughtiness which
at another time would have caused Dick to roar with laughter. This was,
indeed, a new side to Johnnie's character. But our hero was to learn
more.

"Now man de walls, and shoot dem debils down," shouted Johnnie, taking
his rifle and running to an aperture. "Dat so. You quite understand.
Den me see to massa."

He was delighted to have him back, safe and sound, and stood there
wringing his hand till it seemed that he could never stop. However,
Dick was a practical fellow, and it was a long time since he had been in
the stockade.

"Food and something to drink, Johnnie, like a good fellow," he cried.
"Run along and see what you've got, while I take a look outside. Now,"
he said, when he had reached the walls and had discovered the position
of the chief of the miners, "what is your report? Any sign of them?"

"They have gone back to their posts. We knew that they were watching,
and we almost expected an attack. We were looking for you too, chief.
You can leave us to guard the place till you are ready to come back to
the walls. Go and eat, for you must be hungry."

Dick undoubtedly was, and fell to eagerly upon the good things which
were placed on the folding wooden table in the hut. For Johnnie was
general caterer as well as stoker, and in addition, it seemed, commander
of the post at a pinch. He placed a bottle of water near at hand, some
yams, and a cut of tinned beef, and on these our hero fell.

"Yo's make de most of dem water," said Johnnie, as he watched his master
drink, for it had been a hot day, and never a drop of fluid had Dick
been able to touch. "Make de most of him, for dere little more. De
jars nearly dry, and where we fill dem again? So drink him to the velly
bottom."

"What! No water in the place! Run out already!"

No wonder that he was again dismayed, for Dick had such a young head
upon his shoulders that he could not be expected in a matter of a couple
of months or more to correct all the faults committed by hi