ed with this chief, Matadi, are you not?
You have probably had dealings with him, eh? Do not be afraid to give
a truthful answer, because by so doing you cannot betray anything about
yourself that we do not know already. We are fully aware, for instance,
that you are a slave-dealer--among other things--and I have very little
doubt that, if I chose to land a party, we should find a choice lot of
negroes in that barracoon of yours in the bush, yonder--you look
surprised, but, you see, I know all about you; so your best plan will be
to answer my questions truthfully and unreservedly. Now, as to this
Matadi, who is he, and what is he?"

"Sair," said Lobo, in great perturbation, "I see dat you know all about
me, so I will be perfectly open and frank wid you. I _do_ know Matadi.
He is a very powerful chief, de head of a tribe numbering quite t'ree
t'ousand warriors; and his chief town is far up de river--four, five
days' journey in a canoe. It lies on de sout' bank of de river 'bout
eight miles below de first--what you call?--where de water runs very
furious over de rocks, boiling like--like de water in a pot."

"Ah, rapids, you mean, I suppose?" suggested I.

"Yes, yes; rapids; dat is de word," agreed Lobo. "His town is near de
first rapids; and he is very powerful, very dangerous, very fierce.
What do you want wid him, senor?"

"I want those white men that he holds in captivity; and I mean to have
them, by fair means or foul!" said I. "I will buy them of him, if he is
willing to part with them in that way; and if not, I intend to take them
from him by force, for have them I _must_ and _will_ And I require your
assistance in this matter, senor, as an interpreter, through whom I can
treat with the fellow and carry on the necessary negotiations; and if
those negotiations are successful, you will be released on our return
here, and allowed thirty days to complete your arrangements for removal
elsewhere. But if we fail you will be retained as a prisoner, and taken
to Sierra Leone, to be dealt with as your past treacheries deserve.
Now, do you quite understand the position?"

"Yes, senor, I understand," answered Lobo, in great distress. "But, oh,
gentlemen, I beg, I pray you, do not take me away from my business; it
will all go wrong widout me, and I shall lose hundreds, t'ousands of
dollars, _all_ my property will be gone before I can get back! I shall
be ruin'!"

"I am sorry to hear that," I remarked; "but even