young Englishmen, and in
place of cowering behind, they ran to the front, flourishing their
kiris, striking the ground with them, and shouting in their own tongue
the while.

"Out of the way, black dogs!" cried Coffee. "Let my lords the big
lion-killers with their wonder-guns, come by."

Feeling that they must put on a bold front, the two boys advanced with
rifles ready; and, seeing this, and hearing the words of Coffee and
Chicory, which they understood, the black warriors stopped short, spoke
to one another for a few moments, and then, changing their tone, began
to beg for some of the meat.

"Say they're very hungry. Want meat," said Chicory.

Dick spoke to Jack, and then told Coffee to be the interpreter of their
wishes, explaining to him what to say.

Coffee jauntily flourished his kiri, and with a bold, defiant bearing,
marched close up to the warriors, and showing them the scars made by the
lion's claws, told them that they were made by the biggest lion in the
world, and his young masters went and killed it with their wonder-guns.

"And now the young kings say you may go and eat the big eland they shot,
and fill yourselves full."

The men set up a shout, flourished their weapons, and began to dance,
after which they threw themselves upon the ground, as if they wanted to
make themselves into black door-mats, Dick said; and ended by taking up
and turning back on the little hunting-party's trail till they found the
eland.

"Yes," said Mr Rogers, as they related their experience; "you were
quite right. These people seem to me more like children than men, and a
good bold front will generally make them respect the white man;
especially, my boys, if he is firm and, above all, perfectly just."

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.

THE VISIT TO THE BLACK KING.

The good dinner of eland, and the rest the oxen and horses had had
amidst abundant grass and water, made all ready for the afternoon trek.
Several natives had been to the little camp; and as they would be
expected at the king's town, the oxen were in-spanned, the horses
mounted to make the party look imposing, and they moved off, keeping
along the open ground about half a mile from the river's bank.

At the end of a few miles they came in sight of the town, a collection
of thatched huts in the midst of some trees, evidently a sort of summer
residence, for they could see on the right a couple of men, busily tying
together the uprights to form a fresh hut.