rably startled.

"_Comment_!" stammered the cocked hat. "Monsieur speaks Ashantee?"

"Fluently."

"Is it permitted to inquire how and when monsieur acquired this very
unusual accomplishment?"

"I have spoken Ashantee from my infancy," replied Mueller, with admirable
aplomb. "I was born at sea, brought up in an undiscovered island, twice
kidnapped by hostile tribes before attaining the age of ten years, and
have lived among savage nations all my life."

A murmur of admiration ran through the audience, and Mueller became, for
the time, an object of livelier interest than Caraba Radokala himself.
Seeing this, the indignant monarch executed a warlike _pas_, and rattled
his chains fiercely.

"In that case, monsieur, you had better come upon the stage, and speak
to his majesty," said the showman reluctantly.

"With all the pleasure in life."

"But I warn you that his temper is uncertain."

"Bah!" said Mueller, working his way round through the crowd, "I'm not
afraid of his temper."

"As monsieur pleases--but, if monsieur offends him, _I_ will not be
answerable for the consequences."

"All right--give us a hand up, _mon vieux_!" And Muller, having
clambered upon the stage, made a bow to the audience and a salaam to
his majesty.

"Chickahominy chowdar bang," said he, by way of opening the
conversation.

The ex-king of Ashantee scowled, folded his arms, and maintained a
haughty silence.

"Hic hac horum, high cockalorum," continued Mueller, with exceeding
suavity.

The captive monarch stamped impatiently, ground his teeth, but still
made no reply.

"Monsieur had better not aggravate him," said the showman. "On the
contrary--I am overwhelming him with civilities Now observe--I condole
with him upon his melancholy position. I inquire after his wives and
children; and I remark how uncommonly well he is looking."

And with this, he made another salaam, smiled persuasively, and said--

"Alpha, beta, gamma, delta--chin-chin--Potz tausend!--Erin-go-bragh!"

"Borriobooloobah!" shrieked his majesty, apparently stung to
desperation.

"Rocofoco!" retorted Mueller promptly.

But as if this last was more than any Ashantee temper could bear, Caraba
Rodokala clenched both his fists, set his teeth hard, and charged down
upon Mueller like a wild elephant. Being met, however, by a well-planted
blow between the eyes, he went down like a ninepin--picked himself
up,--rushed in again, and, being forcibly seized and held ba