416 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



in front oi the sheet, there was not a soul left. 

 After shouting for some time, I found Tom Dick 

 and some of my people skulking about; and 

 the Bekelai being hunted up, I sent him to ask 

 the king to return, as there was nothing to be 

 afraid of. 



After a few minutes he came in fear and trem- 

 bling, and begged me not to turn myself again 

 into a gorilla, for if I did he and his people would 

 surely die. They evidently imagined that I was 

 possessed of the same power which they suppose 

 their witches are endowed with, and could assume 

 the shape of any animal I chose. I made the 

 Bekelai explain that I was his friend, and had no 

 intentions of doing him any harm, which somewhat 

 reassured him ; but for a time he was evidently 

 very uncomfortable, and I was rather amused by 

 his continued furtive and anxious glances at my 

 face, as if he was apprehensive lest I should sud- 

 denly metamorphosise myself into some terrible 

 creature. 



Having calmed his fears, I made him sit in the 

 rear, and put some comic slides in the lantern, 



