"Gently, Ju-ju," Frank would say sometimes; "gently, Ju, old man."
Then Ju would set him quietly down and trumpet with delight.
————
But as soon as it was dark, all was generally peaceful enough about the fort, for after a residence of some months in king Goo-Goo's country they had got quite used to the cry of wild beasts, and even the roar of lions did not disturb their slumbers.
But the nugget and the diamond--oh! these indeed. Duncan's eyes used to sparkle with delight as they were placed upon the table of an evening.
What possibilities did they not point to! What joy for the future seemed to scintillate from the diamond! One night something that the king had said during his visit to the fort suddenly flashed across Frank's memory.
He almost startled both Conal and Duncan by the eagerness with which he almost shouted:
"Cousins!" he cried, "I have the happiest thought that ever I had. Do you not remember that the king refused to come into the fort because devils dwelt in a hole beneath the floor!"
"Yes, yes, he did say so."
"Duncan, those devils are diamonds, and, it may be, gold nuggets as well."