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20 less to say, it was too much for him. But he seemed clever enough to pretend he knew all about it. So, taking the skate very gingerly in his left hand, he spun the little wheels with his right. Then he dropped it as if it was a very hot potato, and turning to the chief began to chatter away in a tone which showed he was bringing some frightful accusation against our innocent merchandise. The chief, as the old man spoke, drew himself away from the skate, which had fallen near his foot, and regarded the harmless wheels and straps with an expression of dread and distrust.

"I see the old fellow's game," said Marmaduke. "He does n't know at all what it is, any more than his superb highness the ignoramus on the bench. And so he has told them it's witchcraft, or bugaboo, or taboo, or something of the kind. They 'll be for slaying us outright in a moment, you 'll see."

And indeed in a minute the chief gave a hasty order, and the soldiers advanced upon us.

"Good-by, Marmaduke, my lad," said I, in a sorrowful tone. "Life is short at best, dear friend, and—"

"Don't be a whiner yet," said Marmaduke. "You have n't heard the counsel for the defense yet. I 'll move the whole court-room to tears in a moment."

"You are a brave boy," said I, smiling sadly at him. "Good-by! I should not have led you into this trouble."

"You just keep quiet, and you 'll see me lead you out of it," said Marmaduke. Then, while the chief was giving some too plain directions to the guards, ending up by drawing his hand eloquently across his throat, Marmaduke arose to his feet.

"Fellow-citizens!" he said. All the natives turned toward him, for his voice was as commanding as that of a foot-ball captain. "You are making idiots of yourselves. As for Old Rattle-box there, he does n't know beans. If there were any sense in his noddle, he