Honesty is the Best Policy. 
WHEN a boy at school, I was taught the above 
by means of a headline in my copy-book. 
By writing it again and again, I not only learned 
to use my pen properiy, but also how to order my 
life's ways. The Efiks had no copy-books, and did 
not know how to write until the Mission School 
was opened, but by means of the following story 
they have tried to teach this important truth. 
Once upon a time an Efik woman who 
kept a farm was greatly troubled. She had 
cut down the bush growths at the proper 
time, and when sun-dried, had burnt them 
that the ashes might enrich the soil. With 
her native tools, she had tilled, planted and fenced 
her farm ; when lo ! as soon as the seed sent up 
tiny blades of corn or yam, something* came 
through the night and cut them clean off by the 
ground. It was the work of an enemy, but how 
could a poor woman like her discover him and 
bring him to account? In her perplexity and dis- 
tress she went to see the big chiefs who' governed 
the town, and laid her trouble before them. They 
listened, looked very wise, and then said they would 
offer a reward to anybody or anything who would 
find the culprit and bring him to them for punish- 
ment. Now a snail got to hear of this oflfer, and 
straightway resolved to win the prize. The snail 
suspected a cricket of causing the damage, set a 
