are your
views about this attack during the night?"

He swung round on his elbow and looked keenly at our hero.

"You saw them," he said. "This precious rascal nearly shot you. How
much has he had to do with the matter?"

"More than any one, I think," was Dick's answer. "I believe him to be a
thorough rogue, and in league with the Ashantis. Inquiries which I made
at Cape Coast Castle convinced me that he had been engaged on many
occasions in running guns and ammunition to the coast, and sending them
up-country. Well, we have heard that there is trouble brewing. The
natives at Elmina are in almost open insurrection. Murders have been
committed under the eyes of the garrison, and a few white men carried
off. In addition, there are tidings that parties of Ashanti warriors
are in the neighbourhood of the Pra. It is my opinion that this James
Langdon is their spy, that he is watching for them and sending news of
the doings at Elmina and Cape Coast Castle to King Koffee. That would
have brought him tidings of our expedition, for all in Elmina and along
the coast knew of our intentions--"

"While the king of the Ashantis had given us the concession, and had
promised that we should be protected," interposed Mr Pepson. "Not that
I will trust his sable majesty's word. The best protection that we can
have will be our rifles. But I interrupted. You think--?"

"That this James Langdon is a spy, and that while engaged in that work
he has time to see to other matters. The cargo we carry is valuable.
If he could have taken the boats the expedition would have been ruined,
and we should have had to return. Then, too, we do not know how much
more ambitious the scheme of last night's attack may have been. They
may have arranged to steal the boats and make sure of their prize, then
to return and cut our throats. There were sufficient of them, and I
fancy that what James Langdon would willingly do, the others would also
carry out."

"Precisely. They would hack us all to pieces. Never you hesitate again
to shoot, my lad. Where such rascals have to be dealt with it is as
well to press a trigger without delay, remembering that the man who
hesitates very often is killed before he has another chance. And you
think that this ruffian has been on the lookout for us, and that we are
not only fortunate in having our goods secure, but also in having our
lives? I believe it. I think the fellow would willingly have had a
l