der, Alvez, knowing that the life of the prisoner was precious,
now approached, not being sure of what he ought to do.

The magician had seized little Jack, and snatching him from his
mother's arms, he held him toward the sky. It seemed as if he were
about to dash the child to the earth, so as to appease the gods.

With a terrible cry, Mrs. Weldon fell to the ground insensible.

But the magician, after having made a sign to the queen, which no
doubt reassured her as to his intentions, raised the unhappy mother,
and while the crowd, completely subdued, parted to give him space, he
carried her away with her child.

Alvez was furious, not expecting this result. After having lost one
of the three prisoners, to see the prize confided to his care thus
escape, and, with the prize, the large bribe promised him by Negoro!
Never! not if the whole territory of Kazounde were submerged by a new
deluge! He tried to oppose this abduction.

The natives now began to mutter against him. The queen had him seized
by her guards, and, knowing what it might cost him, the trader was
forced to keep quiet, while cursing the stupid credulity of Queen
Moini's subjects.

The savages, in fact, expected to see the clouds disappear with those
who had brought them, and they did not doubt that the magician would
destroy the scourge, from which they suffered so much, in the blood of
the strangers.

Meanwhile, the magician carried off his victims as a lion would a
couple of kids which did not satisfy his powerful appetite. Little
Jack was terrified, his mother was unconscious. The crowd, roused to
the highest degree of fury, escorted the magician with yells; but
he left the enclosure, crossed Kazounde, and reentered the forest,
walking nearly three miles, without resting for a moment. Finally he
was alone, the natives having understood that he did not wish to be
followed. He arrived at the bank of a river, whose rapid current
flowed toward the north.

There, at the end of a large opening, behind the long, drooping
branches of a thicket which hid the steep bank, was moored a canoe,
covered by a sort of thatch.

The magician lowered his double burden into the boat, and following
himself, shoved out from the bank, and the current rapidly carried
them down the stream. The next minute he said, in a very distinct
voice:

"Captain, here are Mrs. Weldon and little Jack; I present them to you.
Forward. And may all the clouds in heaven fall on those id