offering； an offering of the dwarf…people whom you hate； of the
treacherous dwarf…people who when you walk the ancient forest path；
murder you with their poisoned arrows。 Praise Little Bonsa who
delivers you from your foes； and hearken to her bidding。 Send on
messengers to the Asiki saying that Little Bonsa comes home again from
across the Black Water bringing the White Preacher； whom she led away
in the day of their fathers。 Say to them that the Asiki must send out
a company that Little Bonsa and the Magician with whom she ran away；
may be escorted back to her house with the state which has been hers
from the beginning of time。 Say to them also that they must prepare a
great offering of pure gold out of their store； as much gold as fifty
strong men can carry； not one handful less； to be given to the White
Magician who brings back Small Swimming Head； for if they withhold
such an offering； he and Little Bonsa will vanish never to be seen
again； and curses and desolation will fall upon their land。 Rise and
obey； Chief of the Ogula。〃
Then the man scrambled to his feet and answered：
〃It shall be done； O Priest of the Yellow God。 To…morrow at the dawn
swift messengers will start for the Gold House of the Asiki。 To…night
they cannot leave； as we are all very hungry and must eat。〃
〃What must you eat？〃 asked Jeekie suspiciously。
〃O Priest；〃 answered the chief with a deprecatory gesture； 〃when first
we saw you we hoped that it would be the white man and yourself； for
we have never tasted white man。 But now we fear that you will not
consent to this； and as you are holy and the guardian of the god； we
cannot eat you without your own consent。 Therefore fat dwarf must be
our food； of which； however； there will be plenty for you as well as
us。〃
〃You dog！〃 exclaimed Jeekie in a voice of furious indignation。 〃Do you
think that white men and their high…born companions； such as myself；
were made to fill your vile stomachs？ I tell you that a meal of the
deadly Bean would agree better with you； for if you dare so much as to
look on us； or on any of the white race with hunger； agony shall seize
your vitals and you and all your tribe shall die as though by poison。
Moreover； we do not touch the flesh of men； nor will we see it eaten。
It is our '/orunda/；' it is consecrate to us； it must not pass our
lips； nor may our eyes behold it。 Therefore we will camp apart from
you further up the stream and find our own food。 But to…morrow at the
dawn the messengers must leave as we have commanded。 Also you shall
provide strong men and a large canoe to bear Little Bonsa forward
towards her own home until she finds her people coming out to greet
her。
〃It shall be done；〃 answered the chief humbly； 〃Everything shall be
done according to the will of Little Bonsa spoken by her priest； that
she may leave a blessing and not a curse upon the heads of the tribe
of the Ogula。 Say where you wish to camp and men shall run to build a
house of reeds for the god to dwell in。〃
CHAPTER IX
THE DAWN
Jeekie looked up and down the river and saw that in the centre of it
about half a mile away； there was an island on which grew some trees。
〃Little Bonsa will camp yonder；〃 he said。 〃Go； make her house ready；
light fire and bring canoe to paddle us across。 Now leave us； all of
you； for if you look too long upon the face of the Yellow God she will
ask a sacrifice； and it is not lawful that you should see where she
hides herself away。〃
At this saying the cannibals departed as one man； and at top speed；
some of the canoes and others to warn their fellows who were engaged
in the congenial work of hunting and killing the dwarfs； not to dare
to approach the white man and his companion。 A third party ran to the
bank of the river that was opposite to the island to make ready as
they had been bidden； so that presently Alan and Jeekie were left
quite alone。
〃Ah！〃 said Jeekie； with a gasp of satisfaction； 〃/that/ all right；
everything arranged quite comfortable。 Thought Little Bonsa come out
top somehow and score off dirty dwarf monkeys。 /They/ never get home
to tea anywaystay and dine with Ogula。〃
〃Stop chattering； Jeekie； and untie this infernal mask； I am almost
choked；〃 broke in Alan in a hollow voice。
〃Not say 'infernal mask；' Major； say 'face of angel。' Little Bonsa
woman and like it better； also true； if on this occasion only； for she
save our skins；〃 said Jeekie as he unknotted the thongs and reverently
replaced the fetish in its tin box。 〃My！〃 he added； contemplating his
master's perspiring countenance； 〃you blush like garden carrot； well；
gold hot wear in afternoon sun beneath Tropic of Cancer。 Now we walk
on quietly and I tell you all I arrange for night's lodging and future
progress of joint expedition。〃
So gathering together what remained of their few possessions； they
started leisurely down the slope towards the island； and as they went
Jeekie explained all that had happened； since Ogula was not one of the
African languages with which Alan was acquainted and he had only been
able to understand a word here and there。
〃Look；〃 said Jeekie when he had finished； and turning； he pointed to
the cannibals who were driving the few survivors of the dwarfs before
them to the spot where their canoes were beached。 〃Those dwarfs done
for； capital business； forest road quite safe to travel home by； Ogula
best friends in world； very remarkable escape from delicate
situation。〃
〃Very remarkable indeed；〃 said Alan； 〃I shall soon begin to believe in
the luck of Little Bonsa。〃
〃Yes； Major； you see she anxious to get home and make path clear。
But；〃 he added gloomily； 〃how she behave when she reach there； can't
say。〃
〃Nor can I； Jeekie； but meanwhile I hope she will provide us with some
dinner； for I am faint for want of food and all the tinned meat is
lost。〃
〃Food；〃 repeated Jeekie。 〃Yes； necessity for human stomach； which
unhappily built that way； so Ogula find out； and so dwarfs find out
presently。〃 Then he looked about him and in a kind of aimless manner
lifted his gun and fired。 〃There we are；〃 he said； 〃Little Bonsa
understand bodily needs；〃 and he pointed to a fat buck of the sort
that in South Africa is called Duiker； which his keen eyes had
discovered in its form against a stone where it now lay shot through
the head and dying。 〃No further trouble on score of grub for next
three day；〃 he added。 〃Come on to camp； Major。 I send one savage skin
and bring that buck。〃
So on they went to the river bank； Alan so tired now that the
excitement was over； that he was not sorry to lean upon Jeekie's arm。
Reaching the stream they drank deep of its water； and finding that it
was shallow at this spot； waded through it to the island without
waiting for a canoe to ferry them over。 Here they found a party of the
cannibals already at work clearing reeds with their large； curved
knives； in order to make a site for the hut。 Another party under the
command of their chief himself had gone to the top end of the island；
to cut the stems of a willow…like shrub to serve as uprights。 These
people stared at Alan； which was not strange； as they had never before
seen the face of a white man and were wondering； doubtless； what had
become of the ancient and terrible fetish that he had worn。 Without
entering into explanations Jeekie in a great voice ordered two of them
to fetch the buck； which the white man； whom he described as 〃husband
of the goddess；〃 had 〃slain by thunder。〃 When these had departed upon
their errand； leaving Jeekie to superintend the building operations；
Alan sat down upon a fallen tree； watching one of the savages making
fire with a pointed stick and some tinder。
Just then from the head of the island where the willows were being
cut； rose the sound of loud roarings and of men crying out in
affright。 Seizing his gun Alan ran towards the spot whence the noise
came。 Forcing his way through a brake of reeds； he saw a curious
sight。 The Ogula in cutting the willows which grew about some tumbled
rocks； had disturbed a lioness that had her lair there； and being
fearless savages； had tried to kill her with their spears。 The brute；
rendered desperate by wounds； and the impossibility of escape； for
here the surrounding water was deep； had charged them boldly； and as
it chanced； felled to the ground their chief； that yellow…toothed man
to whom Jeekie gave his orders。 Now she was standing over him looking
round her royally； her great paw upon his breast； which it seemed
almost to cover； while the Ogula ran round and round shouting； for
they feared that if they tried to attack her； she would kill the
chief。 This indeed she seemed about to do； for just as Alan arrived
she dropped her head as though to tear out the man's throat。 Instantly
he fired。 It was a snap shot； but as it chanced a good one； for the
bullet struck the lioness in the back of the neck just forward of and
between the shoulders； severing the spine so that without a sound or
any further movement she sank stone dead upon the prostrate cannibal。
For a while his followers stood astonished。 They might have heard of
guns from the coast people； but living as they did in the interior