t in
drunken fights. I have seen a year's hard work ahead of me. You have
corrupted a province in a very short space of time, and, as far as I can
judge, you hoped to steal a Government ship and get into neutral
territory with the prize you have won by your----"

"Enterprise," said Mr. Corklan obligingly. "You'll have to prove
that--about the ship. I am willing to stand any trial you like. There's
no law about prohibition--it's one you've made yourself. I brought up
the still--that's true--brought it up in sections and fitted it. I've
been distilling spirits--that's true----"

"I also saw a faithful servant of Government, one Ali Kano," said
Sanders, in a low voice. "He was lying on the bank of this secret river
of yours with two revolver bullets in him."

"The nigger was spying on me, and I shot him," explained Corklan.

"I understand," said Sanders. And then, after a little pause: "Will you
be hung or shot?"

The cigar dropped from the man's mouth. "Hey?" he said hoarsely.
"You--you can't--do that--for making a drop of liquor--for niggers!"

"For murdering a servant of the State," corrected Sanders. "But, if it
is any consolation to you, I will tell you that I would have killed you,
anyway."

It took Mr. Corklan an hour to make up his mind, and then he chose
rifles.

To-day the N'gombi point to a mound near the village of Fimini, which
they call by a name which means, "The Waters of Madness," and it is
believed to be haunted by devils.

CHAPTER XI

EYE TO EYE

"Bones," said Captain Hamilton, in despair, "you will never be a
Napoleon."

"Dear old sir and brother-officer," said Lieutenant Tibbetts, "you are a
jolly old pessimist."

Bones was by way of being examined in subjects C and D, for promotion to
captaincy, and Hamilton was the examining officer. By all the rules and
laws and strict regulations which govern military examinations, Bones
had not only failed, but he had seriously jeopardized his right to his
lieutenancy, if every man had his due.

"Now, let me put this," said Hamilton. "Suppose you were in charge of a
company of men, and you were attacked on three sides, and you had a
river behind you on the fourth side, and you found things were going
very hard against you. What would you do?"

"Dear old sir," said Bones thoughtfully, and screwing his face into all
manner of contortions in his effort to secure the right answer, "I
should go and wet my heated brow in the purling brook, t