spears; but the rifle of Johnston was left
behind with the valuable property.

At the moment of starting, Ziffak called to two warriors and said
something in a commanding voice. They instantly hastened to the edge
of the water and placed themselves in front of the large canoe. Their
action left no doubt they were obeying an order to guard the treasures
during the absence of the owners.

Reaching the top of the bank, the party were in what might be called
the main or only street of the town. The grass had been worn smooth by
the feet of the villagers, among whom was not a dog, cat, horse, and,
indeed, any four-footed animal.

The visitors had landed near the lower end of the village, so that it
was necessary to walk some way before reaching the house of the king,
which was their destination.

As they started, the whole population began falling in behind them.
The terrified Bippo and Pedros shrank still closer to those in front,
trembling and affrighted, for the experience to which they were
subjected was enough to upset them morally, mentally and physically.

Ziffak turned his head with such a threatening scowl that the foremost
instantly fell back, dreading his vengeance, but when he faced the
other way, they began crowding forward again.

There must have been that in the appearance and action of Bippo and
Pedros which excited the latent mirth of the Murhapas, for say what we
may, the trait exists in a greater or less degree in all human beings.
One of them reached forward with his javelin and gave Bippo a sharp
prick. With a howl, he leaped several feet in air and yelled that he
was killed.

There was an instant expansion of dark faces into grins, showing an
endless array of black stained, teeth, for the spear point was not
poisoned, and the incident caused a laugh on the part of his white
friends when they came to know the whole truth.

But the author of the practical joke had reckoned without his host.
The cry had hardly escaped the victim, when Ziffak bounded to the rear
like a cyclone. The fellow who was a full grown warrior was still
grinning with delight, when he found himself in the terrific grasp of
the head chieftain. It was then his turn to utter a shriek of
affright, which availed him nothing.

Ziffak first smote him to the earth by a single tremendous blow. Then,
before he could rise to his feet, he grasped his ankles, one with
either hand, and swung him round his head, as a child whirls