shaped from a royal palm, and they did this as unconcernedly
and as contemptuously, and with as much indifference to the
strange groups on either side of them, as though they were
working on a barren coast, with nothing but the startled
sea-gulls about them. As Albert and Stedman came upon the
scene, the flag-pole was in place, and the halyards hung from
it with a little bundle of bunting at the end of one of them.

"We must find the King at once," said Gordon. He was terribly
excited and angry. "It is easy enough to see what this means.
They are going through the form of annexing this island to the
other lands of the German Government. They are robbing old
Ollypybus of what is his. They have not even given him a
silver watch for it."

The King was in his bungalow, facing the plaza. Messenwah was
with him, and an equal number of each of their councils. The
common danger had made them lie down together in peace; but
they gave a murmur of relief as Gordon strode into the room
with no ceremony, and greeted them with a curt wave of the
hand.

"Now then, Stedman, be quick," he said. "Explain to them what
this means; tell them that I will protect them; that I am
anxious to see that Ollypybus is not cheated; that we will do
all we can for them."

Outside, on the shore, a second boat's crew had landed a group
of officers and a file of marines. They walked in all the
dignity of full dress across the plaza to the flag-pole, and