EW GUINEA FOR REASONS THAT APPEAR.

It did not seem to matter to Ebo where we went so long as he was with
us. He must have been a man of five-and-thirty, and he was brave as a
lion--as the lion is said to be in the story, for in reality he is a
great sneak--but Ebo seemed to have the heart of a boy. He was ready to
laugh when I did, and sit by me when I was ill or tired, his face full
of sympathy, and no sooner was I better than it was the signal for a
triumphal dance.

Ebo was as happy now as could be. It did not matter to him where we
were going, and he laughed and chattered and pointed out the fish to me
as we skimmed over the shallow water of the coral reefs, sometimes
approaching islands whose names we did not know, and which were
apparently too small to be down in the chart; but whatever temptations
they might hold out my uncle steered right on due north, and on the
evening of the second day there was land stretching east and west as far
as we could see.

"Now, Nat," he cried, "where is your geography? what place is that?"

"I should say it must be New Guinea, uncle," I said.

"Quite right, my boy. Hallo! what's the matter with Ebo?"

That gentleman had been lying down in the bottom of the boat fast asleep
for the past three hours, as he was to sit up and bear me company
through a part of the night; but having woke up and caught sight of the
land he seemed to have become furious.

Having been with us now so long, he had picked up a good many words,
just as we had picked up a good many of his, so that by their help and
signs we got along pretty well. But now it was quite startling to see
his excitement. He seemed so agitated that he could only recollect the
word _no_, and this he kept on repeating as he dashed at me and then
left me, to run to my uncle, seizing the tiller and trying to drag it
round so as to alter the direction of the boat.

"No, no, no, no, no!" he cried. Then pointing to the land he came at
me, caught up his spear, and I thought he was going to kill me, for he
made a savage thrust at me which went right past my arm; dropped the
spear, caught up his club, forced back my head over the gunwale of the
boat, raised his club and made believe to beat me to death, hammering
the boat side with all his might. After this he made a sham attack upon
my uncle, who, however, took it coolly, and only laughed after seeing
the attack upon me, though I had noticed one hand go to his gun when Ebo
ma