"And now," said Kettle, cheerfully, when the pupil had mastered the
vague outlines of his business, "you see what can be done by kindness. I
haven't hit you once, and you know enough already not to blow her up if
only you're careful. Don't you even sham stupid again; and, see here,
don't you grit your teeth at me when you think I'm not looking, or I'll
beat you into butcher's meat when I've hammered these rebels, and have a
bit of spare time. You want to learn a lot of manners yet, Mr.
Commandant Balliot, and where I come from we teach these to foreigners
free of charge. Just you remember that I'm your better, my man, and give
me proper respect, or I'll lead you a life a nigger's yellow dog
wouldn't fancy."

Now the revolted troops, when they saw the launch wriggle off the bank
where she was stuck, and steam away down stream, were filled with
exasperation, because they had confidently anticipated making a
barbecue out of Commandant Balliot in return for many cruelties
received, and doing the same by any other Europeans whom they might
catch on the steamer, because, being white, they would be presumably
relatives of Balliot. It never occurred to their simple minds that the
launch would return, much less that she would offer them battle; so when
indeed she did appear again, they were in the midst of a big
consultation about their future movements.

However, the African who owns a gun, be he revolted soldier or mere
peaceful farmer, never lets that weapon go far away from his hand, for
fear that his neighbor should send him away into the land of shadows in
order to possess it. And so a fusillade was soon commenced. But the
launch, armed with her fine rampart of logs, bore it unflinchingly, and
steamed up within a hundred yards of the thick of them, and just held