s
as you say."

"And it fell out that, when you came to the place where the boatmen
were hid, they were on their guard, so that you fled?"

"O great chief, it was even so. I fled in a canoe."

"And seeing this our canoe of shining metal, you found courage to
leave the reeds wherein you hid to come to us for help?"

"Oh, wonderful!" said the canoe-man, turning up his eyes. "When
these eyes saw your shining canoe, they were gladdened, for I said,
'Here come helpers.'"

"And you will take us to where these men are hidden, so that we may
share the price that is on their heads?"

The man grinned. "You can have all the prize--all," he said, "and
after we will go to my venerable mother, and eat fish and goats'
meat."

Muata smiled gently. "All the price?"

"Did I say all?" said the man, with a swift look at the chief. "I
did wrong to my people--a portion to them and a portion to me."

"That is fair," said Muata.

"Oh, good words. See, I beat my mouth for the ill word I spoke;" and
he struck his mouth. "But see, O chief, we move on, and the bad men
will see us going, and make a plan to escape."

"Let it be so. If they see us they will see we are passing on, and
be comforted. And who will pay the price that is set on their
heads?"

"They have the price with them," said the man, with a cunning look,
"in ivory, in palm-oil, and in many things they have robbed from the
villages."

"And what avails them, all those things--which are heavy things--if
they have no canoes to carry them in to the traders?"

"Did I say they had no canoes? A great fleet they have waiting in
hiding, till all the band come together from the hiding, waiting on
the other shore. It was because I saw the fleet of canoes on the
river, crossing to the far side, that I hoped to surprise the few
who were left."

"And when may those canoes return?"

"The men collect their goods for the going; the time must be short
before they leave."

"And where do the others lie hid?"

"By the great palm-tree, over there."

"Where there were men sitting watching? It was because they had no
canoes that they did not follow you? Shall I tell you what was in my
thought? This, that you and they were friends, and that you were the
bait to draw us into the trap."

The man grinned nervously, and glanced at the water. "Would a little
man trust himself in the power of such great chiefs, if his heart
was crooked. I came for help, but if it pleases you to continue