buted among the Fans.

"Me no like dat nigger," Ostik said. "Me think we hab trouble. You see
all women and children gone, dat bad. Wait till see what do when king
come."

That day and the next passed quietly. The baggage had been piled in a
circle, as usual, in an open space outside the village; the tent being
pitched in the center, and Ostik advised Mr. Goodenough to sleep here
instead of in the village. The day after their arrival passed but
heavily. The natives showed but little curiosity as to the newcomers,
although these must have been far more strange to them than to
the people nearer the coast. Still no women or children made their
appearance. Towards evening a great drumming was heard in the distance.

"Here is his majesty at last," Mr. Goodenough said, "we shall soon see
what is his disposition."

In a short time the village was filled with a crowd of men all carrying
spears and bows and arrows. The drumming came nearer and nearer, and
then, carried in a chair on the shoulders of four strong negroes,
while ten others armed with guns marched beside him, the king made his
appearance.

Mr. Goodenough and Frank advanced to meet him. The king was a tall man
with a savage expression of countenance. Behind Mr. Goodenough, Ostik
and the Fan who spoke the language advanced. The king's chair was
lowered under the shade of a tree, and two attendants with palm leaf
fans at once began to fan his majesty.

"Tell the king," Mr. Goodenough said, "that we are white men who have
come to see his country, and to pass through to the countries beyond. We
have many presents for him, and wish to buy food and to hire carriers in
place of those who have brought our things thus far."

The king listened in silence.

"Why do the white men bring our enemies into our land?" he asked
angrily.

"We have come up from the coast," Mr. Goodenough said; "and as we passed
through the Fan country we hired men there to carry our goods, just as
we wish to hire men here to go on into the country beyond. There were
none of the king's men in that country or we would have hired them."

"Let me see the white men's presents," the king said.

A box was opened, a bright scarlet shirt and a smoking cap of the same
color, worked with beads, a blue silk handkerchief and twenty yards of
bright calico, were taken out. To these were added twelve stair rods,
five pounds of powder, and two pounds of shot.

The king's eye sparkled greedily as he looked