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of pig。'〃
〃Stop that rubbish；〃 said Alan。 〃I want a guide； if I go； will you
come with me？〃
At this suggestion the negro looked exceedingly uncomfortable。
〃Not like to； not like to at all；〃 he said； rolling his eyes。 〃Asiki…
land very funny place for native…born。 But；〃 he added sadly； 〃if you
go Jeekie must； for I servant of Little Bonsa and if I stay behind；
she angry and kill me because I not attend her where she walk。 But
perhaps if I go and take her to Gold House again； she pleased and let
me off。 Also I able help you there。 Yes； if you and Little Bonsa go；
think I go too。〃
After this announcement Jeekie rose and walked down the room； carrying
the cold mutton in his hand。 Then he returned； replaced it on the
table and standing in front of Alan； said earnestly：
〃Major； I tell you all truth； just this once。 Jeekie believe he /got/
go with you to Asiki…land。 Jeekie have plenty bad dream lately； Little
Bonsa come in middle of the night and sit on his stomach and scratch
his face with her gold leg； and say； 'Jeekie； Jeekie； you son of
Bonsa； you get up quick and take me back Bonsa Town； for I darned
tired of City fog and finished all I come here to do。 Now I want jolly
good sacrifice and got plenty business attend to there at home； things
you not understand just yet。 You take me back sharp； or I make you sit
up； Jeekie； my boy；'〃 and he paused。
〃Indeed；〃 said Alan； 〃and did she tell you anything else in her
midnight visitations？〃
〃Yes； Major。 She say； 'You take that white master of yours along also；
for I want come back Asiki…land on his head； and someone wish see him
there； old pal； what he forget but what not forget him。 You tell him
Little Bonsa got score she wants settle with that party and wish use
him to square account。 You tell him too that she pay him well for
trip； he lose nothing if he play her game 'cause she got no score
against him。 But if he not go； that another matter； then he look out；
for Little Bonsa very nasty customer if she riled； as his late
partners find out one day。'〃
〃Oh！ shut up； Jeekie。 What's the use of wasting time telling me your
nightmares？〃
〃Very well； Major； just as you like； Major。 But I got other reasons
why I willing go。 Jeekie want see his ma。〃
〃Your ma？ I never heard you had a ma。 Besides she must be dead long
ago。〃
〃No； Major； 'cause she turn up in dream too； very much alive； swear at
me 'cause I bag her blanket。 Also she tough old woman； take lot kill
her。〃
〃Perhaps you have a pa too；〃 suggested Alan。
〃Think not； Major； my ma always say she forget him。 What she mean； she
not like talk about him； he such a swell。 Why Jeekie so strong； so
clever and with such beautiful face？ No doubt because he is son of
very great man。 All this true reason why he want to go with you；
Major。 Still； p'raps poor old Jeekie make mistake； p'raps he dream
'cause he eat too much supper； p'raps his ma dead； after all。 If so；
p'raps better stay at homenot know。〃
〃No；〃 answered Alan； 〃not know。 What between Little Bonsa and one
thing and another my head is swimminglike Little Bonsa in the
water。〃
〃Big Bonsa swim in water；〃 interrupted Jeekie。 〃Little Bonsa swim in
gold tub。〃
〃Well； Big Bonsa； or Little Bonsa； I don't care which。 I'm going to
bed and you had better clear away these things and do the same。 But；
Jeekie； if you say a word of our talk to anyone； I shall be very
angry。 Do you understand？〃
〃Yes； Major； I understand。 I understand that if I tell secrets of
Little Bonsa to anyone except you with whom she live in strange land
far away from home； Little Bonsa come at me like one lion； and cut my
throat。 No fear Jeekie split on Little Bonsa； oh！ no fear at all；〃 and
still shaking his head solemnly； for the second time he seized the
cold mutton and vanished from the room。
〃A farrago of superstitious nonsense；〃 thought Alan to himself when he
had gone。 〃But still there may be something to be made out of it。
Evidently there is lots of gold in this Asiki country； if only one can
persuade the people to deal。〃
Then weary of Jeekie and his tribal gods； Alan lit his pipe and sat a
while thinking of Barbara and all the events of that tumultuous day。
Notwithstanding his rebuff at the hands of Mr。 Haswell and the
difficulties and dangers which threatened； he felt even then that it
had been a happy and a fortunate day。 For had he not discovered that
Barbara loved him with all her heart and soul as he loved Barbara？ And
as this was so； he did not care aLittle Bonsa about anything else。
The future must look to itself； sufficient to the day was the abiding
joy thereof。
So he went to bed and for a while to sleep； but he did not sleep very
long； for presently he fell to dreaming； something about Big Bonsa and
Little Bonsa which sat； or rather floated on either side of his couch
and held an interminable conversation over him； while Jeekie and Sir
Robert Aylward； perched respectively at its head and its foot； like
the symbols of the good and evil genii on a Mahommedan tomb； acted as
a kind of insane chorus。 He struck his repeater； it was only one
o'clock； so he tried to go to sleep again； but failed utterly。 Never
had he been more painfully awake。
For an hour or more Alan persevered； then at last in despair he jumped
out of bed wondering what he could do to occupy his mind。 Suddenly he
remembered the diary of his uncle； the Rev。 Mr。 Austin； which he had
inherited with the Yellow God and a few other possessions； but never
examined。 They had been put away in a box in the library about fifteen
years before； just at the time he entered the army； and there
doubtless they remained。 Well； as he could not sleep； why should he
not examine them now； and thus get through some of this weary night？
He lit a candle and went down to the library； an ancient and beautiful
apartment with black oak panelling between the bookcases； set there in
the time of Elizabeth。 In this panelling there were cupboards； and in
one of the cupboards was the box he sought； made of teak wood。 On its
lid was painted； 〃The Reverend Henry Austin。 Passenger to Acra；〃
showing that it had once been his uncle's cabin box。 The key hung from
the handle； and having lit more candles； Alan drew it out and unlocked
it； to be greeted by a smell of musty documents done up in great
bundles。 One by one he placed them on the floor。 It was a dreary
occupation alone there in that great； silent room at the dead of
night； one indeed with which he was soon satisfied； for somehow it
reminded him of rifling coffins in a vault。 Before him so carefully
put away lay the records of a good if not a distinguished life； and
until this moment he had never found the energy even to look through
them。
At length he came to the end of the bundles and saw that beneath lay a
number of manuscript books packed closely with their backs upwards；
marked〃Journal〃and with the year and sometimes the place of the
author's residence。 As he glanced at them in dismay； for they were
many； his eye caught the title of one inscribedas were several
others〃West Africa；〃 and written in brackets beneath〃This vol。
contains all that is left of the notes of my escape with J