ar up the mystery connected with the deaths of Lobelalatutu's most
trusted chiefs, and perhaps discover whether or not there really existed
a conspiracy to overthrow that monarch and restore the barbarous
practices that had made the rule of the last king literally a reign of
terror. Then he turned into his hammock and slept soundly until Mafuta
aroused him at sunrise with the early cup of chocolate which was the
invariable prelude to the business of the day.

The first thing after breakfast the two friends walked to the wagon,
which was outspanned close at hand, and opened the boxes and bales which
contained the various articles which they had brought with them to serve
as presents and media of barter, and from the contents of these they
selected a liberal assortment of gifts for the king, his wives, and the
most important chiefs in His Majesty's immediate entourage. These they
handed over to the care of Mafuta, Jantje, and 'Nkuku the voorlouper;
then, directing the trio to follow them, Dick and Grosvenor mounted
their horses and rode at a foot-pace to the king's village.

The distribution of the gifts proved to be a somewhat lengthy function,
for the articles presented included a considerable number of mechanical
toys, the working of each of which had to be carefully explained to the
recipient; but at length it came to an end, to the apparent satisfaction
of everybody concerned, and then Dick said to the king:

"Your Majesty is aware that I am a healer of sickness; is there any
member of your family, or anyone in whom you are interested, lying sick
at the present moment? Because, if so, I shall be very glad to do what
I can to restore the patient to health."

The king looked doubtfully at Dick for a moment or two, as though not
quite comprehending the drift of the question; then something in the
expression of Maitland's face led to his understanding, and he replied:

"There is no one of my household at present sick, O Healer! but one of
my chiefs--a man named 'Nkuni, who is my friend, lies nigh unto death;
and if you can heal him I shall be grateful to you, for he is very dear
to me. His sickness is the same as that which has already sent six
other chiefs along the Dark Path; and it is of so strange and deadly a
nature that Sekosini, the head witch doctor, can find no cure for it."

As the king thus spoke Dick was keenly watching the faces of the various
persons present, and he noted with something of a thrill