"No danger whatever, I presume," said the Doctor; "but we never know, as I before told you, what schemes may be formed for assailing us. We must always be watchful; and if we take care in advance we may escape a great deal of trouble. If the natives see that we are always on guard, they will not be likely to undertake anything in the way of a surprise; but if they find that we are careless, they are quite likely to take advantage of our negligence. Bear in mind that the natives of Africa have no reason to be specially friendly to the white man; beyond the suppression of the slave-trade, the visits of the stranger have generally been to the disadvantage of the negro, and the latter knows it. As he has a good deal of wickedness to the credit of our race, we need not be surprised if he seeks revenge when the opportunity is afforded for it. "In our voyage on the lake we will treat all the people kindly whenever we meet them, but at the same time we must avoid giving them a chance to injure us. When we go on shore Ramen and Bash, the two soldiers of our escort, will always go with us, and will have their guns loaded and ready for instant use. We will never allow more than four natives on board the steamer at any one time, no matter what the occasion, and in this way we will be on the safe side." Of course Fred readily acquiesced in the Doctor's arrangements for their safety. He recalled the accounts of previous travellers in Africa, and found that the rule was by no means a new one. It is the same that every careful explorer adopts when travelling among barbarous people, no matter who they are nor what their reputation is. "Never allow yourself to be surprised, and then you won't be," is the homely way in which one traveller has clothed the maxim. It sounds a trifle Hibernian, but it contains a vast amount of solid common-sense. Our friends slept undisturbed through the night. The captain reported in the morning that two boats came near the steamer about mid-night; but as they did not stop or show the least sign of hostility, it was not deemed worth while to hail them. Soon after daylight several canoes came off from the village and surrounded the steamer; each canoe carried from four to eight or ten persons, among them several women and a few children. The presence of the women and children was indicative of peace, but the rule of allowing only four natives on board at once was not relaxed. [Illustration: A VILLAGE CHIEF.] After a while the sound of a drum was heard, and a boat larger than the rest made its appearance. Ramen said it was the head-man of the village coming to pay his respects; and in order to prepare for his reception the natives then on board were sent to their canoes, and no others were allowed to take their places.