en
minutes before. They were some of the regular followers of the negro
king; and, but a short while ago, carried muskets and formed part of his
military array, ready to kill or capture his enemies at his nod, or even
his friends if bidden. But fortune is fickle to such heroes, and their
more favoured companions had just been directed to capture them and
deliver them over to a life-long bondage.

In a few minutes more they were huddled unceremoniously into the boat,
while I was pulled out of it with as little ceremony and handed over to
my new master upon the bank.

No doubt the skipper was surprised that I made so little opposition, and
the king seemed equally pleased--for he conducted me with a species of
drunken politeness into the palace and insisted upon my drinking with
him a glass of his best rum.

I looked through the apertures of the upright palms that formed the
walls of the hut. I saw the gig cross over to the anchored vessel, and
those whom she carried mount over the gangway. The boat was then rowed
astern, the tackle was let down from above, and in a few minutes she was
hauled high out of water to her place under the poop.

No longer had I a chance to reach the barque without swimming for it,
and for that was now to prepare myself.

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.

I remembered the advice of Brace, and submitted, with as good grace as I
could, to the hospitalities of his black majesty. I drank a portion of
his rum, and even appeared jolly! He seemed greatly pleased with my
behaviour, and evidently esteemed me a good bargain; though the
slave-captain had screwed him far above his original offer. His first
bid had been a fair exchange--man for man, or man for boy--a black for a
white, and he must have been strongly bent on the purchase to have given
six to one!

What could he intend me for?--a slave to wait upon him? hand him his
food when he should feel inclined to eat? his rum when he desired to
drink? fan the mosquitoes off him when he was asleep? and amuse him when
awake? Was this the sort of life for which he had designed me? or was
he going to promote me to some higher employ? make me his private
secretary or clerk? his prime minister, perhaps? marry me to one of his
dark-skinned daughters? make a prince of me?

From the hospitable manner in which he began his treatment of me, I
really had thought, that if I continued to please him, he would give me
an easy life of it. I had heard of such ca