Him daughter goin' take husband," he
answered.

A feeling of dread came over me as he said this. What if the king
intended to make me, _nolens volens_, marry his daughter. It seemed
impossible. I expressed my fears to Charley.

"I wish that I could relieve your anxiety," he answered. "But I tell
you what, perhaps Tom would not mind so much. We may ask the king to
take him instead of you."

"But the young lady, she would object to that," I said, in a tone which
made Charley fancy that my vanity was wounded. He laughed heartily, and
Harry joined him. "Perhaps you think Tom is too old for the young
woman," he added.

"Oh! no, no," I answered, "he is heartily welcome to her for that
matter."

However, the next day the business was settled in a more satisfactory
way than any of us expected, or supposed possible. It appeared that the
prince, or the heir-apparent of a neighbouring kingdom considerably to
the northward, had seen (I must not call her the "fair") Iguma, and had
fallen desperately in love with her. He had arrived during our previous
absence with a large party of followers, bringing treasures of all
sorts, elephants' tasks, rolls of matting, and various other articles.
The king having observed my unwillingness to become his son-in-law, and
the young lady being piqued at my indifference, had accepted her black
suitor. Indeed, the treasures he offered were far greater than any we
possessed, which probably weighed chiefly with his majesty. We hitherto
had not seen the happy bridegroom, Prince Kendo, who had been living
since his arrival in a hut by himself. The ceremony was to take place
that very day, when the various gifts, or the amount he was to pay for
his bride, were to be openly presented in the square of the village. At
the hour fixed on, the prince made his appearance at the door of the
house, his head decked with coloured feathers, a panther robe over his
shoulders, his hunting knife stuck in his belt, to which also was
fastened a sort of kilt of coloured matting, ornamented with feathers,
while his whole body was freshly oiled and painted. His attendants, who
bore his goods, were habited in a somewhat similar manner. As soon as
he appeared, the king came forth leading his daughter. I cannot say
that she was over-encumbered by robes, but her arms and ankles were
encircled by rings. Her head was decked with coloured beads, and a
chain of beads and charms hung round her neck. Prince Ken