"Some died on ants' nests; some were crucified; some were--nay, how can
I say? It is long ago, and I have forgotten," answered the king,
sullenly.

"And they are not the only people who have died in torment since your
return. Many of your own people have suffered at your word. Is it not
so?"

"It is so," answered the king. "They were rebellious subjects; so they
perished."

"How knew you that they were rebellious?" demanded von Schalckenberg.

"My witch-doctors told me so. Is that not enough?" retorted M'Bongwele.

"And how knew the witch-doctors that they were rebellious?" inquired the
professor.

"They found it out through their magic; even as you, through your magic,
found out that I had returned to my people," answered the king.

"Are those witch-doctors present? If so, let them stand forth,"
exclaimed the professor.

For a space of two or three minutes there was no direct reply to this
challenge, but merely a subdued commotion among the assembled multitude
of warriors. Then the professor, growing impatient, called to
Lobelalatutu.

"Are the witch-doctors present, Lobelalatutu?"

"Nay, Great Spirit, they are not present. Doubtless they are to be
found in their huts," answered the chief, saluting.

"Then, take men with you to those huts, find the witch-doctors, bind
them with thongs, and bring them forth to judgment," commanded von
Schalckenberg.

A few minutes of dead silence now followed, at the end of which there
arose, among the more distant huts, outcries and sounds of commotion,
and presently the chief and his party reappeared, leading forth ten old
and grizzled men of most villainously cunning and repulsive appearance,
whose hands were bound behind them. These were brought to the front and
ranged in line by the side of the king.

The professor looked at them intently for a full minute, they returning
his look with an insolent glare of defiance. Then he said--

"Which of you is the chief of the witch-doctors?"

"I, even I, M'Pusa, am the chief witch-doctor. What want ye with me,
white man?" answered the most hideously repulsive-looking individual of
the party, sending a look of concentrated hatred and vindictiveness
upward at the professor.

"It is charged against you that you have cruelly and maliciously incited
the man M'Bongwele--who falsely calls himself `king'--to condemn many
people to suffer death by torture, under the pretence that they were
conspiring against him, knowin