“Ah, white men, save my wife,” he exclaimed, “the doctor has accused her of bewitching the queen, and should her majesty die, nothing will save my poor Iguma, her head will to a certainty be cut off.”
We all at once exclaimed that we would endeavour to save her, if he could point out the best way we could do so.
“Shall we go to the king and ask her life?”
Aboh shook his head, and declared that it would be utterly useless. “The king was bound to kill her with his own hand if the doctor accused her of causing the queen’s death.”
“The queen is not dead yet,” said Harry.
“No, but she may die to-night, for she is much worse than she has been before, and frightened out of her wits by the noise the people make.”
“Then what do you propose we should do?” said Harry.
“Carry her away. You intend going yourselves, I will go too, I should like to see your country and the wonderful things it contains, and I had made up my mind to propose going, even if this had not happened. I should like to take my wife with me, for whatever you may think, I love her dearly.”
On hearing this, we resolved at once to put our long projected plan into execution. Kendo’s assistance would be of great value, as he had canoes at hand, and could aid us in getting away. We advised Kendo to go back and hide his wife, should he not have the means of protecting her, lest the people might come and seize her at once, and we promised to be at the house or at any spot he might appoint as soon as possible after dark.
He stopped for a moment to consider.