The Keepers of the King's Peace

otice that every day, at a certain hour, Bones disappeared from

orning, when the absence of her c

aby," said

Where is Bones? I thought I sa

he captain and surgeon of the s.s. Boma

from his book and

es has kept his guilty secret al

down by

first time you have ragged Bones about

ommissioner with a reprovi

rs, in surprise. "I never thought

her, "there isn't any rag about th

chi

and some old bird of a witch-doctor was 'cho

light and clapped her hands. "Oh, p

re peril and his rescue; it was Hamilton who embellished the

o a tub and stirred h

the beach and across the parade-ground, hi

randah of the Residency, and cal

n was compelled to confess to himself that he had felt the

aiting the return of the doctor. Bones had been to see him off. An

, answering the other's question. "I mu

did Fi

ome in accordance with his pro

and his voice trembl

ton g

ain, and there was Henry howling h

with a large and violent bandan

to her!" he said,

ton, picking up his

s, in despair, and tu

id reproachfully, "

h, dropped his pipe, blinked, spread out his

be gathered that

er if I denied Henry Hamilton Bones-poor little chap. If I never mentioned

is shoulders

aking a mystery of the thing?" asked Hamilton. "I'

ent I go into the hut. To see him sit up an' say 'Da!' dear old sister Hamilton," he went on incoherently, "to see him open his mouth with a sm

ried the s

, Fitz is a low cad! Cut it, my dear old Patricia, mercilessly-yes, mercilessly, brutally, an'

and he blew his nos

," she soothed him. "M

bitat of the wonderful child could not have bee

goin' down with a gramophone after dinner, in case the old fellow wants buckin' up. But now he's asle

ay something, and swallowed hard, then, turning, w

ng, but there were

she said, ha

rs no

he said, and she loo

t eloquent," s

him, that he was a fool. I was wrong. Then I thought he was effeminate. I was wrong again, for he has played the man whene

moment they held. Then hers dropped qu

e perfect man," she said, tu

to an audience with that paragon

the lines, and had for attendants two native women, for whom

ad the typewritten regulations which were fas

Arabic, in which dialect Bones was something of a ma

lot of anxiety I have had. Your dear old brother-God bless him!-is a topping old sport, but

regulations was brief,

lton Bones

ossible. How would you like to be awakened from refres

t with articles a list of which may be obtained on ap

o amuse child, they should be held by child's ear, when an interested expression will be observed on child's face.

to holder's body, passing left arm under child and right arm over. Child should not be encouraged to sit up-though quite able

formation can be

ig

ibbetts, L

on and experience," said Bones triump

marvellous, Bones," said

tom of brown humanity, bald-headed and big-eyed, he sucked his

gent interest which dissolved int

n' painful experience, dear old friend an' co-worker, have you ever seen anything like it?

Henry Ham

nry!" squawked h

!" sai

Bones's face, and he b

ted. "Let me see,

" roare

Henry wants a drink or whether he has a pain in his stomach, but

the native woman nur

d Bones put his hand to his ear and liste

the tens

I make a note." He pulled out his pocket-book

nsight into Henry's vocabulary. It appeared that babies have a lang

ones, his simplicity and his lovableness. She thought, too,

elt sure that something had happened to Henry. Then she heard Sanders and h

er watch-it was

ow that Bosambo is not to blame, because he has always given a very

ome unknown fourth, and guessed that a spy o

n take our chance with the lower river in the dark; it will be day

able to do all you want?"

officer," said Bones, raising hi

ell asleep again, wondering who was the man the

y who navigate a cautious way along the centre of the narrow stream. On the shelving beach one battered old canoe of ironwood, with its sides broken a

ava, the Isisi, and the N'gombi, no less than among that most tolerant of tribes the Ocho

tory knew no frontier save the frontiers of caprice and desire. They had neither nationality nor national ambition, and would sell their spears for a bunch of fish, as the saying g

st them, but lived in a forest place which is called to this day S'furi-S'foosi, "The trees (or glade) of the distant king." They had demurred at Government

s-barrelled guns which have their abiding place at each end of the Zaire's bridge. There is also a method known

supply himself with facts, by invoking ju-jus, ghosts, devils, and all the armoury of native superstition, he had, in those far-off times, prevailed upon the people of Kulumbini not only to allow him a peaceful entrance to their country, but-wonder of

ad come into the chief's possession by some mysterious means-and he hung about the neck o

ot out of a delicate situation in his usual manner, having resort to witchcraft for the purpose. For he said, with due solemnity and hushed breath, that it had

people, O Chief, to lead one of y

ghters, and I should not miss one. And would it not be

rding to my religion, if any woman dies from witchcraft, her gho

and had received at odd intervals

t of Gulabala, there was no complaint made concerning them. It is not natural, however, for native people to prosper, as these folks did, with

tcka, and returned at dawned with the spears all streaky. And he brought back with him some twenty women,

and his spears, and woke to a

ple together and

olk hanged, for Sandi is a cruel man. Therefore let us go to a far place in the

ay at the dawn of that fatal day, and was marching swiftly to avenge his losses, for not

t came back with the news that the wa

ief of the Ochori. For he alone never scrupled to overlook them, and to dare t

g. Let us go back to our village and say we have been hunting, for

s very much like another, but women can speak-when Sanders came striding down the village street, and

Sanders softly, "th

ed left and ri

e, for they spied on me and overlooked me. And we are proud peo

his lips and st

say that no man overlooks him. There you shall hang, Gulabala, for your proud men to see,

ala philosophicall

t way which bad chiefs go, and his

this belt," said Sanders, pacing the deck of the Zaire,

li house, before the hollow length of tree-trunk, the player worked his flat drumsticks of ironwood with amazing r

as Sanders was leaving the Zaire

an of the Kulumbini folk wil

is lord's feet and se

they will despise. Also they worship no gods or ghosts, nor have they ju-ju or fetish. And, if a man does not bel

rs shook

t be, Bosamb

elve good claimants for the vacant stool of office,

all, awake and alert. Whether this might be said of Bones is questionable. Bones swears tha

awake when Sanders

t is that there should be one you call chief. Yet, if I take you, M'loomo"-he turned to one sullen claimant-"there will be war. And if I take

am of satisfaction which came at this concession to the traditional chara

shall reign in his place-one at every noon shall sit in the chief

rospective r

ur race, live apart from us at S'furi-S'foosi, and were we not pro

e qualifications of all the little chiefs, the headmen, and the fi

d voice whispered in his ear, and Bo

in' advantage of my position, but it's the chance I've been lookin' for, sir

arth--" be

set him up for life, sir. I must think of the child, hang

nzied grip of his lieutenant, a

r tongue 'The Young and the Wise,' and who is called in my tongue N'risu M'ilitani Tibbetti, and this one

his hand i

men are you

ongu

-throated growl, and the

rules t

ongu

ith the right foot and then with the

him a beautiful hut, and his spirit shall

. At irregular intervals he would grip Sand

ister met the law-

expected you, sir," said Ha

e gentleman,"

roke in eagerly, "Henry

as grave and

ajesty," he said. "I pre

stared

ably, "Bones isn't sicke