ed them. Tombini, the chief of N'gombi, held the view that
Nature's way was best, whilst B'limbini, his cousin, was the chief
exponent of the sharpened form.

It took two battalions of King Coast Rifles, half a battery of artillery
and Sanders to settle the question, which became a national one.

"I wish Bosambo were to the devil before he left his country," said
Sanders, irritably. "I should feel safe if that oily villain was sitting
in the Ochori."

"What is the trouble?" asked Hamilton, looking up from his task--he was
making cigarettes with a new machine which somebody had sent him from
home.

"An infernal Bim-bi palaver," said Sanders; "the last time that
happened, if I remember rightly, I had to burn crops on the right bank
of the river for twenty miles to bring the Isisi to a sense of their
unimportance."

"You will be able to burn crops on the left side this time," said
Hamilton, cheerfully, his nimble fingers twiddling the silver rollers of
his machine.

"I thought I had the country quiet," said Sanders, a little bitterly,
"and at this moment I especially wanted it so."

"Why at this particular moment?" asked the other in surprise.

Sanders took out of the breast pocket of his uniform jacket a folded
paper, and passed it across the table.

Hamilton read:

"SIR,--I have the honour to inform you that the Rt. Hon. Mr. James
Bolzer, his Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies, is
expected to arrive at your station on the thirtieth inst. I trust
you will give the Right Honourable gentleman every facility for
studying on the spot the problems upon which he is such an
authority. I have to request you to instruct all Sub-Commissioners,
Inspectors, and Officers commanding troops in your division to make
adequate arrangements for Mr. Bolzer's comfort and protection.

"I have the honour to be, etc."

Hamilton read the letter twice.

"To study on the spot those questions upon which he is such an
authority," he repeated. He was a sarcastic devil when he liked.

"The thirtieth is to-morrow," Hamilton went on, "and I suppose I am one
of the officers commanding troops who must school my ribald soldiery in
the art of protecting the Rt. Hon. gent."

"To be exact," said Sanders, "you are the only officer commanding troops
in the territory; do what you can. You wouldn't believe it," he smiled a
little shamefacedly, "I had applied for six mont