My unknown friend echoed my words with a tone which left little doubt in the minds of his hearers. He shouted in African-French the words which fell upon astonished ears:
"La ba' du gran' Papaloi! La ba' du gran' Papaloi!"
I leaped from the throne. I held the symbolic circle high in the air. The eyes shot forth baleful gleams, which impressed even us men of the North with their wonderful brilliancy and power. To the ignorantly superstitious how much more convincing! I turned the dread symbol this way and that. I threw its red beams into the watching eyes of the crowds which surrounded us. They closed their trembling lids, and shook as if with a palsy. In as stern a voice as I could command I shouted again: "Behold the ring of the Grand Papaloi! Behold! Behold the ring of the Grand Papaloi!"
No one was more astonished than I myself at the effect which this ruse of mine produced. As I passed down the long space between the rows of sombre faces, I was surprised to see the bronzelike bodies waver and fall on the ground, as summer grain is blown over by a sudden storm of wind. The two upon the throne looked with amazement upon me. Shouts were going up around us as I advanced of "La ba' du gran' Papaloi! La ba' du gran' Papaloi!" The sectaries covered their eyes with their hands and fell before me. The tide had turned.
"It's working wonderful well, my boy," said the Skipper, who had joined me. He began to shout in the same breath, "The ring of the great Papaloi!"
As we neared the throne again I saw that great terror, humility and consternation combined were shadowed forth from the faces of the priest and priestess. On that of the Papaloi himself I perceived, creeping through the submission that fear develops, a look of the most malignant hate, but as I came nearer they both trembled, wavered, then arose, and, screaming with the rest, "La ba' du gran' Papaloi!" they sank down at our feet. The excitement had been so much for me that I almost lost my hold for a time on consciousness; but I controlled myself, and stood erect and commanding, though trembling in every limb. This was the best thing that could have happened, for such fits of excitement are common among the sect, and show religious fervour. The Skipper's apposite remarks aided me in keeping my senses. He drawled:
"You've fetched 'em this time, Jones," and then the absurd side of the whole performance came over me and helped me to keep from giving way to weakness.
Finding that the priest and priestess were overwhelmed by the sight of the ring, I turned to my black guide and roared out in stentorian tones:
"What the devil's the matter with those savages?"
"The Lord knows," said he, bowing low with every sign of servility, "but you've got 'em jolly well scared this time. Crash all hurricanes! but you're a smart one."