nt's wife, giving her the most minute instructions
respecting its administration. This done, he proceeded to the enclosed
part of the village containing the king's house and its dependencies,
and informed the sentries at the gate of the palisade that he desired to
report personally to the king the state of the chief 'Nkuni, from whose
hut he had just come. The sentries had already received orders to admit
the white men whenever they should present themselves, and in a few
minutes Dick found himself standing in the presence of Lobelalatutu.

CHAPTER TEN.

DICK'S "MAGIC".

The king was reclining upon a sort of sofa, with two or three of his
wives fanning him to drive away the flies, when The Healer was
announced; but a word caused the women to scuttle off to their own
quarters like frightened rabbits, while Lobelalatutu rose to a sitting
position as Dick entered, followed by Mafuta.

"I see you, O Healer!" exclaimed the king with cordiality, before Dick
could say a word. "Draw near and sit beside me. It is said that you
have news of 'Nkuni for me. Have you seen him?"

"Twice this day have I seen him," answered Dick; "once when I went forth
from your presence this morning, and again but a short time since. I
came hither directly from his hut."

"And has your skill enabled you to find out what is wrong with him?"
demanded the king.

"It has," answered Dick. "Your friend 'Nkuni was slowly dying from the
effects of the same poison that slew the others. But I can save him,
and he shall live, it may be to serve you better than some of those
chiefs who, professing to be loyal to you, are secretly planning your
overthrow and death."

"_Au_!" ejaculated Lobelalatutu; "is it so? Then my suspicions were not
ill-founded. But, tell me, how came you to learn this?"

"When I first visited the hut of 'Nkuni this morning, conducted thither
by the chief Ingona, whom you thought to be 'Nkuni's friend," answered
Dick, "I found that Sekosini, the chief witch doctor, had been
administering to the sick man certain medicines with the alleged purpose
of healing him of his sickness. When I entered his hut 'Nkuni seemed to
be nigh unto death, having endured much pain after swallowing a draught
of milk containing medicine supplied by Sekosini. The symptoms were
those of poisoning; I, therefore, took possession of the unwashed vessel
which had contained the milk, and also the remainder of the medicine
supplied by Sekosini,