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he repeated。 〃Up gum tree now； say good…night。〃
〃Why？ Who are they？〃 gasped Alan。
〃Great cannibal； Major； eat man； eat us to…night； or perhaps to…morrow
morning when we nice and cool。 Say prayers； Major； quick no time
waste。〃
〃I think I will shoot an Ogula or two first；〃 said Alan grimly； as he
stood up and lifted his gun。
〃No； not shoot； no good。 Pretend not be afraid； best chance。 Let
Jeekie think； let Jeekie think；〃 and he slapped his forehead with his
large hand。
Apparently the action brought inspiration； for next instant he grabbed
his master by the arm and dragged him back behind the shelter of a big
boulder which they had just passed。 Then with really marvellous
swiftness he cut the straps of the tin box that Alan wore upon his
back； and since there was no time to find the key and unlock it；
seized the little padlock with which it was fastened between his
finger and thumb； and putting out his great strength； with a single
wrench twisted it off。
〃What are you〃 began Alan。
〃Hold tongue；〃 he answered savagely； 〃make you god； I priest。 Ogula
know Little Bonsa。 Quick； quick！〃
In a minute it was done； the golden mask was clapped on to Alan's
head； and the leather thongs were fastened。 Moreover； Jeekie himself
was arrayed in the solar…tope to which all this while he had clung；
allowing streams of green mosquito netting to hang down over his white
robe。
〃Come out now； Major；〃 he said； 〃and play god。 You whistle； I do
palaver。〃
Then hand in hand they walked from behind the rock。 By this time the
particular company of the cannibals that was opposite to them； which
happened to include their chief； had climbed the steep slope of the
hill and arrived within a distance of twenty yards。 Having seen the
two men and guessed that they had taken refuge behind the rock； their
spears were lifted to kill them； since when he beholds anything
strange； the first impulse of a savage is to bring it to its death。
They looked； they saw。 Of a sudden down went the raised spears。
Some of those who held them fell upon their faces； while others turned
to fly； appalled by the vision of this strangely clad man with the
head of gold。 Only their chief； a great yellow…toothed fellow who wore
a necklace of baboon claws； remained erect； staring at them with open
mouth。
Alan blew the whistle that was set between the lips of the mask； and
they shivered。 Then Jeekie spoke to them in some tongue which they
understood； saying：
〃Do you； O Ogula； dare to offer violence to Little Bonsa and her
priests？ Say now； why should we not strike you dead with the magic of
the god which she has borrowed from the white man？〃 and he tapped the
gun he held。
〃This is witchcraft；〃 answered the chief。 〃We saw two men running；
hunted by the dwarfs； not three minutes ago； and now we seewhat we
see；〃 and he put his hand before his eyes； then after a pause went on
〃As for Little Bonsa； she left this country in my father's day。 He
gave her passage upon the head of a white man and the Asiki wizards
have mourned her ever since； or so I hear。〃
〃Fool；〃 answered Jeekie； 〃as she went； so she returns； on the head of
a white man。 Yonder I see an elder with grey hair who doubtless knew
of Little Bonsa in his youth。 Let him come up and look and say whether
or no this is the god。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 exclaimed the chief； 〃go up； old man； go up；〃 and he
jabbed at him with his spear until； unwillingly enough； he went。
The elder arrived； making obeisance； and when he was near； Alan blew
the whistle in his face； whereon he fell to his knees。
〃It is Little Bonsa；〃 he said in a trembling voice； 〃Little Bonsa
without a doubt。 I should know； as my father and my elder brother were
sacrificed to her； and I only escaped because she rejected me。 Down on
your face； Chief； and do honour to the Yellow God before she slay
you。〃
Instantly every man within hearing prostrated himself and lay still。
Then Jeekie strode up and down among them shouting out：
〃Little Bonsa has come back and brought to you； Man…eaters； a fat
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；