my
hands.

"O massa, so glad! so glad!" he exclaimed, showing that he had not
forgotten his small knowledge of English.

"And Leo?" I asked, taking him by the hand; "where is he?"

"Gone! gone!" he answered.

My heart sank as I heard this.

"What! dead?" I exclaimed, the thought of the grief his death would
cause his sisters and Natty, indeed all of us, coming into my mind.

I was greatly relieved when Mango answered--

"No, massa, not dead; but gone away," and he pointed south.

"What I did any one come to take him away, or did he go all alone?"

"Yes, massa, all alone," said Mango. "He run away. Dey catchy me, and
bring back."

This was indeed disappointing. Still, I hoped that he might reach some
place of safety, or that possibly I might find him. On making further
inquiries of Mango, I ascertained that he had started only two days
before. Then I thought, perhaps he has gone towards Kabomba; I may
actually have passed him on the road.

The inhabitants now conducted me into the village, accompanied by Mango,
and I was led before the chief. He was an enormously fat man, and was
seated on a pile of matting in a sort of verandah in front of his abode,
and supported by a number of women, whom I took to be his wives.
Determined not to be treated as a prisoner, I went up at once and shook
him by the hand, and told Mango to explain that I had come from a
distance to look for a young countryman, and that my people would be
very angry if any injury had happened to him. The chief was evidently
not addicted to making long speeches, indeed it was with difficulty he
brought out his words. Mango interpreted what he said. He declared
that he had no intention of injuring the white boy; that his people had
found him and his companion some time back, and that he had since fed
him and taken good care of him, and that of his own accord he had run
away.

"Yes," added Mango, "what he say true; but when we want go away, he no
let us, so Massa Leo run. He got rifle and powder, too, and dis make
old rogue here wish keepy."

I concluded from this that Leo's case had been very similar to ours, and
as my anxiety about him had somewhat decreased, I began to fear that the
fat chief would detain me in his place. I therefore assumed a still
more authoritative air, and declared that though my people were very
much obliged to the chief for taking care of our friends, they would be
very angry at his having detained them lo