"
"What does he mean?" said Gordon. "How can he give up the
island? Ollypybus is the king of half of it, anyway, and he
knows it."
"That's just it," said Stedman. "That's what frightens him.
He said he didn't care about Ollypybus, and didn't count him
in when he made the treaty, because he is such a peaceful chap
that he knew he could thrash him into doing anything he wanted
him to do. And now that you have turned up and taken
Ollypybus's part, he wishes he hadn't sold the island, and
wishes to know if you are angry."
"Angry? of course I'm angry," said Gordon, glaring as grimly
at the frightened monarch as he thought was safe. "Who
wouldn't be angry? Who do you think these people were who
made a fool of him, Stedman? Ask him to let us see this
watch."
Stedman did so, and the King fumbled among his necklaces until
he had brought out a leather bag tied round his neck with a
cord, and containing a plain stem-winding silver watch marked
on the inside "Munich."
"That doesn't tell anything," said Gordon. "But it's plain
enough. Some foreign ship of war has settled on this place as
a coaling-station, or has annexed it for colonization, and
they've sent a boat ashore, and they've made a treaty with
this old chap, and forced him to sell his birthright for a
mess of porridge.
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