Say, Selim, how wouldst thou like
it?"

"Oh, Kalulu! thou art King now of all this great nation, thou art rich
and powerful; there is none like unto thee in all the lands of Africa.
Thousands of warriors are ready to do thy bidding; armies of great,
strong, fierce men are under thy feet. If thou wilt but more that
little tongue of thine, there is war everywhere; men will begin to hate
one another and to lust for each other's blood; Tillages will be
destroyed, and whole tribes shall be known no more. Thou, who art but a
boy like me, art dreadful in thy sudden power. But a few days ago,
under the tree where the dead elephant lay, thou didst embrace me, thou
didst say all manner of kind things unto me. Wilt thou do Selim a
favour, Kalulu?"

"Will I do thee a favour? Oh, Selim! dost thou think that, because I am
King of the Watuta, I can forget our brotherhood? Dost thou think that
Kalulu's friendship changes like the antelope, which roameth about for
the sweet grass, now here, now there? No; Kalulu's friendship is like
the water of a river, always flowing in the same direction, true and
constant. Ask me anything thou wilt, and I will give it thee! Dost
thou want a wife? Take pretty Imamalu, and if she is not enough, take
Koranilu; and if thou wouldst like another, ask for her, and thou shalt
have her. Dost thou need a gun? Ask for as many as thou wilt. What is
it thou wouldst ask?"

"I would ask," answered Selim, "that, now thou art King, thou wilt
permit Abdullah, Simba, and Moto, and myself to depart to our own land."

"Depart!" echoed Kalulu, "and leave me alone! What has Kalulu done unto
thee or thy friends, that thou wouldst leave him?"

"Nay, my brother--if thou wilt permit me to call thee by that name
still--thou hast done nothing of wrong unto us," replied Selim. "Thou
hast been too good, if anything. What should we have done without thy
friendship? But thou must remember, Kalulu, we left our own land to
trade for ivory and slaves. We came as far as Urori, intending to go to
Rua, on the other side of Lake Tanganika; but at Ewikuru of Olimali the
caravan was destroyed, our fathers and friends were killed, others were
made slaves along with ourselves. But we were happy in finding a friend
in thee. We were released from slavery, and in my master I found a
brother. But, Kalulu, at Zanzibar, Abdullah and I have mothers, who are
sorrowing for us. I have a rich estate, and plenty of money waiti