But his astonishment as well as that of his companions became greater still when they proceeded to take stock of their goods recently submitted to their invisible customers. Next to each article offered for trade there had been something placed as its proposed equivalent. One or more bezoar stones, some heaps of gold dust, tiger skins, were thus offered in exchange for a mandauw, a dress, a knife, some tobacco or glass beads. “But what next?” asked Wienersdorf. “Let us look well and estimate the value of the things,” said Harimaoung. They then carefully went over their stock and its proffered price and found that most of the articles offered in exchange exceeded in value the wares disposed for sale. The salt especially seemed to be in the highest demand by the Olo Ott, for the largest heaps of gold dust were tendered on barter for that commodity. As our traders were satisfied with their prices the Poenan collected all the things left by the Olo Ott and had them conveyed to his rangkan. The stall containing their own goods was left intact. Harimaoung then struck his gong violently as a signal and proceeded to take it down and convey it to his canoe, when the journey homewards was at once commenced. On making up their balance-sheet, Johannes perceived that for the rubbish offered by the Europeans for traffic they had received one hundred bezoar stones, about six thaëls of gold dust and a large number of tiger skins. These last were ordered by Johannes to be converted into jackets which would be of great service to them during their projected march through the wilderness. “By jingo,” said La Cueille, “this is profitable business. It beats the wholesale merchants hollow.” “But suppose,” asked Wienersdorf, “the Otts had not left sufficient value for our goods, what should we have done?” “In that case,” answered Dalim, “we should have simply removed our goods and left theirs.” “And suppose they had taken away our goods without leaving anything instead?” “Such a case has never occurred,” Johannes explained. “The most implicit confidence is observed in this mode of barter without the parties being known to each other. It did once occur that some Malay merchants, in removing their property, took away some of the articles offered in exchange by the Otts. But they had scarcely gone half-way up the soengei ere they were overtaken and made to pay for their dishonesty with their lives.” “You say that the traders never see each other? Is that really the case?” “Always. Whenever the Otts show themselves, it means war and one of the parties is sure to be annihilated.” “What kind of fellows are these Olo Otts?” “Ah! now you ask me more than I can answer. I have never seen them myself; but ask the Poenans and you will hear that they are half monkeys and have tails.” “Tails!” echoed La Cueille, quite amazed. “Yes; tails, my worthy Walloon,” said Johannes smiling. “Don’t forget that you also once had a tail: at least your forefathers had; and if——”