great deal more. Night after next day we found that the night he said it. Is it not so ?” girl Ja Taung was missing. said the duwa, turning to the Then we really were very angry, pawmaing.

and all the young men of " Said it! He said it so the village set off with guns often that it became a joke," and dhas to arrest him. They said the pawmaing, glancing took two of the best trackers backwards and forwards from in the village with them, and the chieftain to Kirkwood. they followed him till sunset,

“I wonder you stood it," but they did not come said Kirkwood, flioking the with him. During the night ash off his cigar. “I know there was very much wind, some Kachins that might have and the tracks were lost. We lost their tempers."

made inquiries everywhere, “At first we thought it was but

it was

not for many the liquor. But when he had days that we heard where gone on repeating it until we he had got to. He went were tired, some of the young straight along the river ridge men got angry and wanted to instead of turning east into kill him."

China, where he had told us “Yes," said Kirkwood drily, many times that he ,

was "you are often quite in a hurry going. Then it was that we about that."

began talking about how we “There was one of our young were going to have our remen who had been a soldier in venge. The village elders met, the Kachin Company of your and decided that there was a Lordship's army,

who re- 'debt’ against Germany, and strained them. He said there there were many

of the young would be trouble if the Ger- men who got bamboo staves

was killed merely just for the first time and cut a for talking. He said he knew noteh in them, wbich was not the English laws, and advised to be smoothed away until that we should get the German Maya, or some other German, to quarrel first. But he also had been punished. But we said it would be a better plan heard no more of him, and if we arrested him, and brought there were no Germans that him as a prisoner to your Lord- oame. In the cold weather ship. And he also declared of this year, however, we that we might very likely get heard that the Germans had a money reward for it when raised a band of men, and his talking was made known. were attaoking the troops of So after a time we decided the Royal Government. Then that would seize him.

seize him. we chose & luoky day for a Also, we resolved that if he meeting. We were very caremade violent resistanoe, we ful about it. We consulted would deal with him as is the spirits both with bamboo the custom in such

cases. slips over the fire, and with Bat that very night he went shippa-wot leaves and with off without any warning, and the sinews of fowls. At the

man

meeting we decided that we silver in the lead that he would join the Royal Govern- wanted, but we hope that one ment in fighting the Germans, of the round balls will settle and 80 would wipe out our our account with him. All debt. But the young man, these guns, powder, and Lasang, who had been in the bullets-we beg that you will Military Polioe, told us that accept and make good use of. there was muoh drill to be We should have liked our done and much exercising young men to go with the with guns, and that no one guns and use them themselves, was allowed to be absent but Lasang, who was in the at night, and there was Military Police, said it would great deal of walking about take them many moons to on flat ground, whioh is very learn the prescribed exercises. tiring for hillmen. Therefore But he said it would be well to we decided that we would supply the Royal Government supply weapons to kill the with some one who could point Germans with, and that is out Maya, so that we might be why I have oome. But the sure he was killed. It would soldiers at the fort would not be best if he were killed with let us pass with them. There- one of our guns, for that would fore I and the pawmaing have make the best end of the debt, come direct to your Lordship. and smooth out all the nicks in There are eight guns, and there the bamboog. So two of the is an old beer-bottle full of best trackers in the village powder for each gun. They have come with the party, and are not the long thin-barrelled we hope that the Royal Governguns that are fired from the ment will accept their services. cheek, and they are not the They can follow a trail over now gans that the Shans make any country even in the driest in the hills away to the east. weather, and supposing Maya They are well-tried, old, trust- was killed by some other worthy guns, all of them flint- Government servioe man, they looks exoept two, whioh fire oould, at any rate, identify with caps, of which we know him, and we should be able to your Lordship oan prooure hold a feast in the village when large supplies, though we knew that Maya was done find it very diffioult to get for. It would be a great satisany at all, because of tbe faction. Therefore we hope Royal Government's regula- your Lordship will issue an tions. Therefore we have not order for the passage of the brought any caps. Besides arms past the frontier, and these, there are two bags of that your Lordship will accept ballets, each of them weighing them, and also will enrol the twelve or twenty pounds. The two trackers in the Royal lead is very good lead, which Government foroes." we have dug ourselves out of It needed all Kirkwood's & pit which Maya frequently experience of the touobiness went to look at. It was the of the hillmen to listen with

we

the war.

proper gravity to this long in the quarter-guard, and I will tirado, but when the duwa had give you a receipt for your finished he replied with perfeot warlike supplies. Your men solemnity: “It is very grati- can either bring them in themfying to me to find that you are selves, or they can be brought so loyal to the British Govern- in by the guard on the first ment. You are not in the ad- opportunity. Until I have reministered territory, and there. ceived instructions I cannot fore it was not necesary for definitely promise that you you to oonoern yourselves about shall have them back, but I

The Germans are a have little hesitation in saying very powerful people, and that I shall be authorised to there are

& great many of assure you that when hostilithem. They have been pre- ties with the Germans are paring for this war for a long over, they will be restored to time. Meier, the German, you with a suitable aoknowwho came to your village, ledgment of your loyalty." made no seoret about that. "I am very glad," said the They have gathered together duwa—"and how about the great quantities of all kind trackers ?” of arms, and they have tried Kirkwood bent over his desk in all manner of anderhand as if he were writing out the ways to raise trouble for us order. “I am not prepared by the most unseemly in- to say what we shall do about trigues and lies.

It is very the trackers. The Germang gratifying to me personally are very

very numerous.

There that you should be prepared will be no diffioulty in finding to join in fighting them. For- them. They have more men tunately it is not at all likely in their armies than there are that the Germans will ever be people in the whole of Burma. able to create trouble in this Meier has very likely been province. Therefore we shall called out to fight. But it is not need the reoruits which also quite likely that he is no you have so promptly offered good at fighting, and that he us from your territory. For- has been employed in more tunately, too, the Government sneaking spy-work somewbere is well sapplied with arms else. Your trackers are with. and ammunition. Neverthe- out doubt very skilled, but less, it is always well not to they might spend the rest of be too confident, and I shall their lives in strange countries therefore advise the Looal trying to find him. I think Governmont to accept your you had better take them back offer of arms. They will cor- to your village. But I will tainly not be wanted immedi. make a note of their names ately, but in anticipation of and report them to Govern. the sanction which I have no ment. Later, if opportunity doubt I shall receive, I will offers, they might be accepted.' isade an order for the passage

“It shall be as your Lordof your eight guns. They will ship orders. One of the be brought in here and stored traokers is Makam, the man

we

who acoompanied your Lord. have had no experienoe over ship when you went to kill such roads, and moreover it is the tiger that carried off one very hot. They would probof our buffaloes."

ably drink a great deal and “ Makam, -I remember make a noise. Your Lordship Makam very well. He is a does not like noise, I know. splendid man at that sort of When we had the spirit feast work. But there is a differ- in the village, you said you ence between following the could not sleep. That was on traok of a tiger in the desert the third night, so you had jungle and trying to find the had timo to consider the trail of a man in the wide matter." wide world among many thou- “Yes, I said nothing on the sands of other men.'

other two nights, did I ? and “It was Makam who fol. I did not know how many lowed the footprints of Maya more nights

nights were ooming. for many miles, when However - well, here's your pursued him from the village,” order. They will stamp it said the duwa half reproach- with the office seal ontside. fully, half in resentment. “He You are to hand over eight is already acquainted with the gang, eight [reputed] quart boot-markings of Maya.” bottles full of gunpowder, and

“Yes, but Meier is evidently two bags of bullets -- that's & very ounning man. He right, isn't it? And the guard has no doubt made haste to will give you a receipt for get himself another pair of them.” boots.”

“But they will not be kept “It may be so, but we have at the Fort," said the duwa. our debt to pay. We also hate “They will be used against the the Germang. Still, it shall be Germans. Three generations as your Lordship wishes. But have used these guns.' the guns you will take and the Oh, they will certainly be powder?

brought here, and if any “Certainly. They shall be Germans come we'll ask you to carefully looked after. Will oome down here to fight for your party bring tbem in, or us. That would be a pleasure shall they be handed over to to you, wouldn't it?” the guard ?”

“Yes, if only we could get The duwa hesitated. “I Maya." should like to bring them here, And that is how it comes but there is the diffioulty about that there is a raok of very food. It is different from interesting old guns at the what it used to be in the quarter - guard in Mathibu. old days. Then we took food The Kaching had never heard wherever we wanted it. Even how the Boohen treated the now I am afraid my men bave Hereros, but they had an idea, not muoh to eat. Moreover from their experienoe of Herr there is the toilgome flat road. Meier, that it was best to thin

TAKORADI.

"I've no instruotions about We three were all pretty them at all so far," said the tired as we sat on Pooh Bab's Assistant District Commis- verandah. It seemed 80 restsioner, “though oode messages ful, looking out over the lagoon have been coming through all and beyond to where the fetish day.”

hill Mankwadi gradually faded It was the early evening of in the evening glow. Lights the 5th August 1914. At began to show in the little 8.30 A.M. a copy of the ourt town below the bungalow, and official telegram announcing the last of the sea breeze bore that war had broken out be- faintly to us the song of the tween England and Germany boat-boys working overtime to had been posted on the Court land cargo from a coasting House door of the little coast steamer in the roadstead. town of Takoradi. I suppose

The Mission to which referthat all of us Evans, the enoe had been made was an small A.D.C., who looked years alien conoern ostensibly neuyounger than his age, Brown tral, whioh combined missionof the Bank, and myself— ary zeal in the "bush” with after the shook of such profitable trading activity at staggering news had a little the port. worn off, were beginning to To us, sipping our drinks, think what it meant to us entered noiselessly Kofi, Pooh personally.

Bah's steward. “I had a long telegram this “The Superintendent want afternoon all about your job, you, sar." Brown,” continued the looal “Where he live, Kofi?”

? Pooh Bah; "and as that con- asked Evans, apourling himfounded code-book hasn't been self from & deok-chair. brought up to date, I had “He lib for back verandah, to wire about

word, massa.' 'moratorium,' which seemed “I'll just step out for a to be the key to the thing, minute and see

what

he and try not to give myself wants. Those people up at &way. It's nothing to do Ogwan are a bit excited over with the Mission, at any their stool palaver, and we rate."

don't want riot on our “What do you think they hands just now. Boy, pass will do?" asked Brown.

whisky - soda for these Why, nothing. What oan masters.' they do, out off in an out-of- Evans went into the chopthe- - Way

station like this ? room, and I congratulated What can any of us do, for myself that my job did not that matter, exoept sit tight mix me up with the interat the end of a telegraph wire minable intrigues of native and await instructions ?”

politios.

one