and gazed through the telescope. "You see,"

t you were wrong in predicting they would leave a channel for the Rajah to get out: they have completely sealed the river. Of course that is an advantage. When it is time f

ollow her out when the

e will depart by

othing about this n

tically responsible for the destruction of a Cape liner. But after all," continued his lordship dreamily, sprawling at full length on the place that Mackeller had deserted, "after all, what is the use of this gold? You can't eat it o

that, sir, before

e temperature. There is ample timber of all kinds, and yesterday I discovered a lovely waterfall which would give us enough electricity to endow a city with power, so I intend to found a modern Utopia, and have selected a spot where this very day we will begin to clear away the forest and build log huts. The nucleus of o

up this mining proper

too perfect to struggle. Let us be happ

sped behind his head, looking up quizzically wi

oat at Thomycroft's, actually armored and bullet-proof? In it we could go down and visit the mine, and return, letting them pepper away at us, while we lay ful

you, sir, to do n

ome in handy for visiting you. It is a nimble little beast,

rnest about th

reminds me I must

dded good-by to Mackeller, and procee

uise. The yacht proceeded to the side of the plateau that Stranleigh had selected as the site of his first village, and presently the air was filled with a crash of falling trees, with the ringing sound of the ax,

r that the Plim-soll's mark on the Rajah's side was already submerged, which fact, added Mackeller, showed that the steamer did not intend sailing to England. Within half a

rn your telescope upstream to the

g this, the chief turned

words-'Let'em all come.' Ask him to rep

Mackeller, putting his own interpre

nleigh. "You watch the surface of t

r, "there seems to b

tly. Now, Mackeller, turn your glass on the floating mines, and give up your place to the

't kno

as exactly twenty-seven. Now, Mr. Telegrapher, stand up here and make yourself useful. If explosions occur, no man is to spea

the doctor, his eyes

ross the delta, and now it seemed that one mine had set off another, or else the logs were even thicker than might have been expected, for a wall of water rose from the surface of the river, extending, with breaks here and there, from shore to shore, and instead of a rumble, a s

e had been using. "Turn your telescope to the land again, doctor, and see those comical people tumbling

ose people have seen sawn logs float down the river there will be a

t across the river out of gunshot, or the sight of our ab

is being got ready, and three men are standing on the rock ledge

Mackeller," said Stranleigh, "and te

the captain of the Rajah on one side o

merely the mate, and then you have second and third mate, and I don't know how many more. Well, doctor, let us get away,

going down there,"

em up with our story before th

u are u

ui

y posses

it s

ccompanied by an equal body of armed men to protect you, a

t motor boat possesses a submarine prow as effective as that of a battle ship, and if they don't want their steam launch rammed and sunk, they'd better drop their rifles to the deck. I shall insist that whoever speaks to me shall talk as one gentleman to another. I'll t

ped up the river until it came to the branch that led to the mine, then into this watery lane it turned at full speed. Stranleigh and the

the launch, and come up alongside at a distance of about twen

p, seemed struck into immobility with astonish

a wild duck, without sound of machinery or sight of vapor, swung gracefully round, and came up alongside wi

1

rn by the doctor; but the attitude of the two men in white was not so disquieting as the demeanor and appearance of the boat herself. She was most expertly handled, and came alongside with that impudent, saucy air characteristic of midshipmen and the smaller units of the British navy. There was a touch of arrogance in her rakish build, as if she knew the whole power of a maritime nat

e realized the panic his su

easantly. "Have you seen anything

manager of the mine

st, do yo

s bobbing about in the su

one before," mur

but even so a worthy seaman, if engaged in his lawful occupation, had no reason to fall into a state of nervous collapse at the sight of a craft which looked like a baby torpedo boat. He had hitherto believed that captain, officers, and crew of the Rajah were innocent p

ir?" stammered the captain,

Stranleigh airily; "me

of relief, and their statuesque pos

about the coas

acht, is it?" aske

nd is an ocean-going affair. It is built with an eye t

ry?" demanded the manager, h

lied his lordship. "How

replied the doctor with a non

"Many of them are woodmen, and the rest are gamekeepers from my own es

uilt on the model of

Indeed, it is getting near to midday, so I should be delighted if you three gentlemen would be good enough to lunch

doubtfully nodded his head, as who would say: "Well

ger then

a smoke. My friend here is captain of the Rajah, and this is Mr. Thompson

acquaintance, gentlemen.

known name in Afr

dship. "I cannot claim the distinction

of your visit in these r

he coast. I am delighted with this section of the country. Back in the hills while shooting I have discovered several waterfalls which could supply cheap power. Some days ago I gave orders to my woodmen to prepare logs for the building of huts. I was away shooting at the time they began operations, and I fear rather neglecting my duties as a settlement founder. Be that as it may, they piled the logs too near the brink of the river, where the incline is

with the belief that he had encountered some rich fool with more money at his disposal than was good for him, and gradually the nerve of the man who had kicked

nleigh, that the timber you are cutt

he maps I have seen-I'll show you them when we come aboard

red square miles of this territory has been acquired by

government did this syn

d the concession from native chiefs. No European gover

a settlement, then, farther down the r

es

steamer you spoke of

eer, and we are experimenting with t

Rajah with such ore as you can find, and

act

surely you were not here when I came up thi

t we prospected, and secured p

d with authority to

, or stay here as long as you please, but I am not acting for myself. In the interest of my employers,

ith the address of tha

s to outsiders. Whether they gain or lose, they intend to exploit this region for their own sole benefit.

the carrying out of my plans. What you say merely shows how small the world is getting to be. Who would have imagined that in this seemingly virgin territory, thousands of miles from what we call civilization, the land should be all taken up, just as if it were a newly plotted piece of acreage in the vicinit

shield, with a laugh. "

d am a very pig-headed Tory when any of my privileges are threatened; so I should be the last man to trespass on the rights of others, and I hope, Mr. Frowningshield, when you are comm

right," repeated Frown

see the gash I have made in your forest. That is the spot I had chosen for the nucleus of my settlement

close to the edge," c

ened. I have not seen my men since I heard of the disaster. I suppose they will present plenty of plausible excuses, and

as he and the mate gazed at the white steam

ll precede you on board, to inform cook and ste

and manager to easy-chairs aft, and ordered the deck steward to bring them sherry and bitters. He made a mental note of the fact that the mate had remained in the launch, and from this surmised that he had not succeed

owner I hold the keys of the wine bin myself. With a mi

s the genial host went down th

d the captain, when they were thus

met plenty of that kind before. A rich ass, good-natured, wit

e of that," rep

dered in here, and I dare say has amused himself

boat is fitted up for wireless telegraphy? Th

hield loo

if it is so. I suppose plenty of yachts are fitted with Marconi apparat

ommunication with

ou mean? What would

aptain. "This chap is too smo

do? Sink his craft and

N

t th

, and not drink too

ning to me, captain. It would co

notice me becoming talkative, just give me a

ous, captain. This boat must ha

these oceangoing yachts are very

you tell whether she is o

e. A question to one of

e drinks. Well, my man, this is

s,

engines,

The engineer would b

uld. How long is it s

t remember the date. The cap

een stopping at many places

here and t

r Teneriff

They all look alike to me, sir. Plymouth, or Southampton,

murmured Frowningshield, as

ptain, "even the stewa

ned' air about him, in spite of his politeness, and the servants of such people know when they're in a good place, and keep their mouths shut. Sti

herself up if she tried it, and as to what he can do, look at what he has already done. The tumbling of all that timber in the river may have been an accident, as he says, but

ill, there's nothing to be done with his crew of landl

He's cleared the river, and the waterway from the ocean to the mine is open. I tell you what it is, Mr. Frow

you sa

est yacht they could find in England, and they have cut in here ahead of us. This fellow's smooth talk about founding a colony is all balderdash. They've been spying upon us ever since we came here. The other fellows in England have taken their time in

e, but if the worst came to the worst they couldn't touch us. We're doing nothing illegal. I tell you old Sc

e didn't get t

ing prisoners, tha

You are quite safe, whatever comes, for you are bound to obey the orders of those who chartered the vessel. But apart from all that, we are out of British jurisdiction her

it, Mr. Frowningshield; I

ong, it is other people who must stand the brunt. It isn't criminal to sail a ship from Southampton to the West African coast, and it isn't criminal to make voyages to Lisbo

s comrade, was absentmindedly turning the picture pages of the Sphere, which he

the 13th-a mighty unlucky day I call it. He bought this paper more than a week after we left! I tel