d part of the truth, and supplemented the rest of it
with this magnificent lie, Marizano endeavoured to look magnanimous.

"I don't believe a word of it," said Disco, decidedly.

"I incline to doubt it too," said Harold; "but he may have some good
reason of his own for his friendly professions towards us. In any case
we have no resource left but to assume that he speaks the truth."

Turning to Marizano, he said:--

"We are not prisoners here. We are guests of the chief of this
village."

"In that case," replied the half-caste, "I can return to the coast
without you."

As he said this a large band of the villagers, having discovered that
strangers had arrived, drew near. Marizano at once advanced, making
peaceful demonstrations, and, after the requisite amount of clapping of
hands on both sides, stated the object for which he had come. He made
no attempt to conceal the fact that he was a slave-trader, but said
that, having purchased enough of slaves, he had visited their village
because of certain rumours to the effect that some white men had been
lost in these regions, and could not find their way back to the coast.
He was anxious, he said, to help these white men to do so, but, finding
that the white men then at the village were _not_ the men he was in
search of, and did not want to go to the coast, he would just stay long
enough with the chief to exchange compliments, and then depart.

All this was translated to the white men in question by their faithful
ally Antonio, and when they retired to consult as to what should be
done, they looked at each other with half amused and half perplexed
expressions of countenance.

"Werry odd," said Disco, "how contrairy things turns up at times!"

"Very odd indeed," assented Harold, laughing. "It is quite true that we
are, in one sense, lost and utterly unable to undertake a journey
through this country without men, means, or arms; and nothing could be
more fortunate than that we should have the chance, thus suddenly thrown
in our way, of travelling under the escort of a band of armed men;
nevertheless, I cannot bear the idea of travelling with or being
indebted to a slave-trader and a scoundrel like Marizano."

"That's w'ere it is, sir," said Disco with emphasis, "I could stand
anything a'most but that."

"And yet," pursued Harold, "it is our only chance. I see quite well
that we may remain for years here without again having such an
opportunity or such an escor