hard, no want
you learn how it done. What you like see? Tree grow out of nothing, eh?
Good! Please lend me that plate--what you call him--china."

Then the performance began. The tree grew admirably upon the china plate
under the cover of an antimacassar. A number of bits of stick danced
together on the said plate, apparently without being touched. At a
whistle from Marut a second snake crawled out of the pocket of the
horrified Mr. Savage, who stood observing these proceedings at a
respectful distance, erected itself on its tail upon the plate and took
fire till it was consumed to ashes, and so forth.

The show was very good, but to tell the truth I did not take much notice
of it, for I had seen similar things before and was engaged in thoughts
much excited by what Harut had said to me. At length the pair paused
amidst the clapping of the audience, and Marut began to pack up the
properties as though all were done. Then Harut observed casually:

"The Lord Macumazana think this poor business and he right. Very poor
business, any conjurer do better. All common trick"--here his eye fell
upon Mr. Savage who was wriggling uneasily in the background. "What
matter with that gentleman? Brother Marut, go see."

Brother Marut went and freed Mr. Savage from two more snakes which
seemed to have taken possession of various parts of his garments. Also,
amidst shouts of laughter, from a large dead rat which he appeared to
draw from his well-oiled hair.

"Ah!" said Harut, as his confederate returned with these prizes, leaving
Savage collapsed in a chair, "snake love that gentleman much. He earn
great money in Africa. Well, he keep rat in hair; hungry snake always
want rat. But as I say, this poor business. Now you like to see some
better, eh? Mameena, eh?"

"No," I replied firmly, whereat everyone laughed.

"Elephant Jana we want you kill, eh? Just as he look this minute."

"Yes," I said, "very much indeed, only how will you show it me?"

"That quite easy, Macumazana. You just smoke little Kendah 'bacco and
see many things, if you have gift, as I _think_ you got, and as I almost
_sure_ that lady got," and he pointed to Miss Holmes. "Sometimes they
things people want see, and sometimes they things people not want see."

"Dakka," I said contemptuously, alluding to the Indian hemp on which
natives make themselves drunk throughout great districts of Africa.

"Oh! no, not dakka, that common stuff; this 'bacco much better than
da