Poah black man come to white master for heiup, not to wild black man." "By Jove, he talks English! Let the poor beggar come aboard, sir." "He's all right where he is," said Mr.Hume.
The man did not think so, and began hauling on the rope, when Mr.
Hume drew his knife and made as if he would cut the canoe loose.

He ceased from pulling, and, after a despairing look, crouched down.
"We will talk," said Muata, courteously, poising the paddle in his hand.

"How is your venerable mother ?" "She has a wonderful dish of fish and manioc for her son's guests.
You will do her the favour to eat of that dish," said the stranger, humbly.
"And is your venerable mother's kraal up the river ?" "A sun's march distant, by a garden of bananas.

Also there is a fat goat." "And what does her excellent son so far from the village ?" "There were tales of bad men," said the stranger, plucking up spirit, "and these tales drew me away, for the price offered for their capture was great, and my fetish told me where they were hid." "And the little son was greedy?
He kept this word of his fetish from the honourable ears of his mother, so that he would have the price to himself, eh ?" "Truly a great chief," murmured the boatman, with reverence.

"It was as you say." "And it fell out that, when you came to the place where the boatmen were hid, they were on their guard, so that you fled ?" "O great chief, it was even so.