vereign--it will be quite right;' John
was inclined to do the very honorable on the sly; but, being of
opinion that he had appropriated to himself enough in that sort of
way, I interposed a decided objection. 'Governor!' I retorted, taking
the chief by the hand--'if a good speculation you would make, annex
this little empire of yours to our great Republic. Manifest destiny
will make you one of us; but don't wait for that. Hook on while the
link is hot--you'll find it a good speculation. Young America will put
your nation through a process of regenerating: he will make steam
civilize when everything else fails; he will send his Transit Company
to take possession of the government. We seek not, like John to
conquer--we colonize. You may be one of us; by accepting Young
America's offering you may be as independent as a colored preacher on
Sunday.' The chief gazed in bewilderment--his people muttered still
more.

"John now became furious of anger. 'We, too,' he interposed,
'colonize. Say you will come under the protection and acknowledged
allegiance to our Queen, and yours shall be a scarlet coat, a cocked
hat, and a great broadsword wherewith to fight your way in the world.'
The chief moved his head doubtingly, as his body vibrated from head to
foot. What strange opinions invaded his thoughts! He placed his broad
hard hands gently on our heads, drew us lovingly to him, and smiled.
In that smile was that which said we were both good and honest, but
needed much watching. We were, indeed, good specimens of our separate
nations, but the free-and-easy seemed most acceptable to the savage.
'Governor!' I continued to address the chief as I turned to John,
'beware of his fascinating coat of scarlet. Such things may charm the
little; sensible men know their worthlessness. Hang out the
star-spangled banner, espouse popular rights; let the rest of mankind
know you belong to a nation whose destiny is the overthrow of kings
and kingcraft on one continent at least.' Still, mutely the savage
listened. There was no getting English into his head; hence I saw the
necessity of gaining my ends by signs and motions, after the fashion
of our modern diplomacy. Say what you will, mute diplomacy is not
without its effect. At it I went, in a style that put French dancing
entirely into the shade.

"'Your Yankee figuring won't play on his head, Smooth,' spoke
Littlejohn, in a tantalizing sort of vein. 'He is less a fool than you
take him for.'