ain to bring with him. The matter was placed in the hands of the
professor for settlement, and he promptly avowed himself to be fully
equal to the task.

"Science, my friends," he remarked, "is constantly revealing wonders
which surprise and astound even the most cultured minds of the civilised
world; how much more capable is it then of overawing the uncultured
savage, however shrewd and clever he may be in those simple matters
which affect his everyday life! Leave it to me; we have ample
scientific means at our command to quell this man and his followers, and
to reduce them to a state of the most abject and servile subjection."

Von Schalckenberg then retired to make his preparations, which were soon
complete. When next he appeared he carried upon one arm a glittering
mass of what at first sight appeared to be drapery, but which, on his
unfolding it, proved to be three suits of chain armour (minus helmet and
gauntlets), constructed of very small fine links of aethereum, light and
flexible as silk.

"I think," said he, "it will be unadvisable to make any change in our
outward appearance in preparing to receive this royal savage; any such
change would be certainly noticed, and as certainly regarded as an
indication of the importance we attach to his visit. Now, our policy is
to treat the whole affair as a matter of no moment whatever, and we will
therefore (if you agree with my views) continue to wear the white
flannel suits in which we received Lualamba this morning. But I would
recommend that each of you don a suit of this mail under your clothing
(I have already assumed mine), and we shall then be pretty well prepared
for emergencies. These savages are often exceedingly treacherous
fellows, and it is quite among the possibilities that certain of this
king's followers may have received instructions to test our supposed
invulnerability by a sly stab in the back or something of that kind; it
will be well, therefore, that we should be properly prepared for
anything of the kind. I had in view some such occasion as the present
when I arranged for the construction of these suits. There is a helmet
and gauntlets for each; but we shall scarcely need them today, I think,
and it would hardly be politic to wear any _visible_ defensive armour."

The luncheon hour arrived and passed without sign or token of the
presence of a single savage in the neighbourhood, and as the afternoon
waned with still no indication of human