ce of
terror and to hear the slight sound of the wrenched joints and stretched
sinews, followed by the deep groan and the upward glare of agony!

With a bursting cry of rage, Hockins, forgetting his situation, sprang
towards the torturers, was checked by his fetters, and fell with a heavy
clang and clatter on the floor. Even the cruel guards started aside in
momentary alarm, and then with a contemptuous laugh passed out.

Hockins had barely recovered his footing, and managed to restrain his
feelings a little, when the door was again opened and the Interpreter
re-entered with the jailor.

"I come--break chains," said the former.

He pointed to the chains which bound our travellers. They were quickly
removed by two under-jailors and their chief.

"Now--com vis me."

To the surprise of the Interpreter, Mark Breezy crossed his arms over
his breast, and firmly said--"No!" Swiftly understanding his motive,
our seaman and Ebony followed suit with an equally emphatic, "No!"

The Interpreter looked at them in puzzled surprise.

"See," said Mark, pointing to the tortured man in the corner, "we refuse
to move a step till that poor fellow's chains are eased off."

For a moment the Interpreter's look of surprise increased; then an
indescribable smile lit up his swarthy features as he turned to the
jailor and spoke a few words. The man went immediately to the curled-up
wretch in the corner and relaxed his chains so that he was enabled to
give vent to a great sigh of relief. Hockins and Ebony uttered sighs of
sympathy almost as loud, and Mark, turning to the Interpreter, said,
with some emotion, "Thank you! God bless you! Now we will follow."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note 1. The fetters here described may be seen in the Museum of the
London Missionary Society in Blomfield Street, London, along with an
interesting collection of Malagasy relics.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

MAMBA IS SUCCOURED BY ONE OF THE "ANCIENT SOOT," AND FULFILS HIS
MYSTERIOUS MISSION.

When Laihova and Mamba took the reckless "headers" which we have
described in a former chapter, they tumbled into a court-yard which was
used as a sort of workshop. Fortunately for them the owner of the house
was not a man of orderly habits. He was rather addicted to let rubbish
lie till stern necessity forced him to clear it away. Hence he left
heaps of dust, shavings, and other things to accumulate in heaps.