acrificed instead of
one of the Bradleys. It's because I know the language. Bradley, Sr.,
you see the evil results of a higher education. Wish me luck, please,"
he said, "and for goodness' sake," he added impressively, "don't waste
much time shooting goats."

The Hillmen had stopped about two hundred yards off, and were drawn up
in two lines, shouting, and dancing, and hurling taunting remarks at
their few adversaries. The stolen cattle were bunched together back of
the King. As Stedman walked steadily forward with his handkerchief
fluttering, and howling out something in their own tongue, they stopped
and listened. As he advanced, his three companions followed him at
about fifty yards in the rear. He was one hundred and fifty yards from
the Hillmen before they made out what he said, and then one of the
young braves, resenting it as an insult to his chief, shot an arrow at
him. Stedman dodged the arrow and stood his ground without even taking
a step backward, only turning slightly to put his hands to his mouth,
and to shout something which sounded to his companions like, "About
time to begin on the goats." But the instant the young man had fired,
King Messenwah swung his club and knocked him down, and none of the
others moved. Then Messenwah advanced before his men to meet Stedman,
and on Stedman's opening and shutting his hands to show that he was
unarmed, the King threw down his club and spears, and came forward as
empty-handed as himself.

"Ah," gasped Bradley, Jr., with his finger trembling on his lever, "let
me take a shot at him now." Gordon struck the man's gun up, and walked
forward in all the glory of his gold and blue uniform; for both he and
Stedman saw now that Messenwah was more impressed by their appearance,
and in the fact that they were white men, than with any threats of
immediate war. So when he saluted Gordon haughtily, that young man
gave him a haughty nod in return, and bade Stedman tell the King that
he would permit him to sit down. The King did not quite appear to like
this, but he sat down, nevertheless, and nodded his head gravely.

"Now tell him," said Gordon, "that I come from the ruler of the
greatest nation on earth, and that I recognize Ollypybus as the only
King of this island, and that I come to this little three-penny King
with either peace and presents, or bullets and war."

"Have I got to tell him he's a little three-penny King?" said Stedman,
plaintively.

"No; you