"It's our rule to let a man talk until
we get enough, and then--"
He raised his right foot, suddenly.
"I understand," said Mr. Ricker. "When I was about twenty-two years
old our vessel was wrecked and I, the only one saved, was cast ashore
on a cannibal island--or, to be more correct ethnologically, an
island inhabited by cannibals. I was a handsome young fellow, and it
is not at all surprising that the Queen, who was young, unmarried,
and, fortunately, very pretty, fell in love with me and wished to
become my wife.
"But the Prime Minister, or Great Panjandrum, as he was called,
wished his son to marry the Queen and become King, so he, and his
minions planned to get rid of me.
"Lola-Akwa, that was the Queen's name, discovered the plot, and
resolved to save me.
"You all read your Bibles, and you will remember that in the olden
days there were places that were called 'Cities of Refuge.' On that
island there was a Tree of Refuge. It was at least one hundred feet
high and for two hundred feet from it, in every direction, not a tree
or shrub could be found. This open space gave the pursuers a fine
chance for an arrow shot before the refugee reached the tree.
"Lola-Akwa told me to climb to the top of that tree and stay there
until she sent word for me to come down.
"But the Great Panjandrum discovered my hiding place. The Queen
declared that I was protected by all that was sacred in their
religion, but the Great Panjandrum proved by the cannibal Bible that
only cannibals were entitled to its protection.
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