thing in sight except the low mud houses thatched with a sort of rushes.
We found out afterward that we had made a serious mistake. The place to which our cargo was consigned was something like a city—as nearly as such things exist in Corea. But, by a mistake in the name, we were landed upon an island where no white man had preceded us.
Consequently, the natives had fled in terror when the ship landed us and unloaded our boxes of skates and then sailed away as rapidly as possible. The captain, to judge by his hasty departure, knew the character of the natives and was glad to put a few leagues between his ship and these savages. For savages they were, as we soon found out. No sooner was the ship out of sight than the bushes round about the beach began to blossom with heads. Then the natives came out one by one, and before we fairly understood our position we were seized, bound hand and foot, hoisted upon the shoulders of some outlandish warriors, and borne away in triumph, followed by a long file of natives, carrying each a box of roller-skates.
We were entirely unarmed, and could have made no resistance even if there had been time.
"This is a pleasant beginning!" I said, with some bitterness.
"There's nothing very unpleasant so far," said Marmaduke cheerfully. "You know I was afraid we might have trouble with the custom-house, or that the freight charges might eat up our profits."
"There does n't seem to be any trouble about getting into the country, I must admit," I answered frankly. "But I am afraid there may be some question about who owns the goods when we get there."
"I don't believe in going to seek trouble," said Marmaduke. "They evidently want our company, and seem to have no objection to carrying our baggage."
