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silent。 Throw your cloaks about your heads。〃
They did so； and holding their revolvers in their right hands； glided
after the Mungana。 In the corner of the big room they came to a little
stair。 How it opened in that place where no stair had been； they could
not see or even guess； for it was too dark； only now they knew the
means by which the Asika had been able to visit them at night。
The Mungana went first down the stair。 Jeekie followed； grasping him
by the arm with one hand； while in the other he kept his own knife
ready to stab him at the first sign of treachery。 Alan brought up the
rear； keeping hold of Jeekie's cloak。 They passed down twelve steps of
stair； then turned to the right along a tunnel； then to the left； then
to the right again。 In the pitch darkness it was an awful journey；
since they knew not whither they were being led； and expected that
every moment would be their last。 At length； quite of a sudden； they
emerged into moonlight。
Alan looked about him and knew the place。 It was where the feast had
been held two months before； when the priests were poisoned and the
Bonsas chose the victims for sacrifice。 Already it was prepared for
the great festival of to…morrow； when the Mungana should drown himself
and Alan be married to the Asika。 There on the dais were the gold
chairs in which they were to sit； and green branches of trees mixed
with curious flags decked the vast amphitheatre beyond。 Moreover；
there was the broad canal； and floating in the midst of it the hideous
gold fetish； Big Bonsa。 The moon shone on its glaring； deathly eyes；
its fish…like snout and its huge； pale teeth。 Alan looked at it and
shivered； for the thing was horrid and uncanny； and the utter
loneliness in which it lay staring up at the moon； seemed to
accentuate the horror。
The Mungana noticed his fear and whispered：
〃We must swim the water。 If you have a god； white man； pray him to
protect you from Bonsa。〃
〃Lead on；〃 answered Alan； 〃I do not dread a foul fetish； only the look
of it。 But is there no way round？〃
The Mungana shook his head and began to enter the canal。 Jeekie； whose
teeth were chattering； hung back； but Alan pushed him from behind； so
sharply that he stumbled and made a splash。 Then Alan followed； and as
the cold； black water rose to his chest； looked again at Big Bonsa。
It seemed to him that the thing had turned round and was staring at
them。 Surely a few seconds ago its snout pointed the other way。 No；
that must be fancy。 He was swimming now； they were all swimming； Alan
and Jeekie holding their pistols and little stock of cartridges above
their heads to keep them dry。 The gold head of Big Bonsa appeared to
be lifting itself up in the water； as a reptile might； in order to get
a better view of these proceedings； but doubtless it was the ripples
that they caused which gave it this appearance。 Only why did the
ripples make it come towards them； quite gently； like an investigating
fish？
It was about ten yards off and they were in the middle of the canal。
The Mungana had passed it。 It was in a line with Alan's head。 Oh
Heavens！ a sudden smother of foam； a rush like that of a torpedo； and
set low down between two curving waves； a flash of gold。 Then a
gurgling； inhuman laugh and a weight upon his back。 Down went Alan；
down and down！
CHAPTER XVII
THE END OF THE MUNGANA
The moonlight above vanished。 Alan was alone in the depths with this
devil； or whatever it might be。 He could feel hands and feet gripping
and treading on him； but they did not seem to be human； for there were
too many of them。 Also they were very cold。 He gave himself up for
dead and thought of Barbara。
Then something flashed into his mind。 In his hand he still held the
revolver。 He pressed it upwards against the thing that was smothering
him； and pulled the trigger。 Again he pulled it； and again； for it was
a self…cocking weapon； and even there deep down in the water he heard
the thud of the explosion of the damp…proof copper cartridges。 His
lungs were bursting； his senses reeled； only enough of them remained
to tell him that he was free of that strangling grip and floating
upwards。 His head rose above the surface； and through the mouth of his
mask he drew in the sweet air with quick gasps。 Down below him in the
clear water he saw the yellow head of Big Bonsa rocking and quivering
like a great reflected mon； saw too that it was beginning to rise。 Yet
he could not swim away from it； the fetish seemed to have hypnotized
him。 He heard Jeekie calling to him from the shallow water near the
further bank； but still he floated there like a log and stared down at
Big Bonsa wallowing beneath。
Jeekie plunged back into the canal and with a few strong strokes
reached him； gripped him by the arm and began to tow him to the shore。
Before they came there Big Bonsa rose like a huge fish and tried to
follow them； but could not； or so it seemed。 At any rate it only
whirled round and round upon the surface； while from it poured a white
fluid that turned the black water to the hue of milk。 Then it began to
scream； making a thin and dreadful sound more like that of an infant
in pain than anything they had ever heard； a very sickening sound that
Alan never could forget。 He staggered to the bank and stood staring at
it where it bled； rolled and shrieked； but because of the milky foam
could make nothing out in that light。
〃What is it； Jeekie？〃 he said with an idiotic laugh。 〃What is it？〃
〃Oh！ don't know。 Devil and all； perhaps。 Come on； Major； before it
catch us。〃
〃I don't think it will catch anyone just at present。 Devil or not
hollow…nosed bullets don't agree with it。 Shall I give it another；
Jeekie？〃 and he lifted the pistol。
〃No； no； Major； don't play tomfool；〃 and Jeekie grabbed him by the arm
and dragged him away。
A few paces further on stood the Mungana like a man transfixed； and
even then Alan noticed that he regarded him with something akin to
awe。
〃Stronger than the god；〃 he muttered； 〃stronger than the god；〃 and
bounded forward。
Following the path that ran beside the canal； they plunged into a
tunnel； holding each other as before。 In a few minutes they were
through it and in a place full of cedar trees outside the wall of the
Gold House； under which evidently the tunnel passed； for there it rose
behind them。 Beneath these cedar trees they flitted like ghosts； now
in the moonlight and now in the shadow。
The great fall to the back of the town was on their left； and in front
of them lay one of the arms of the river； at this spot a raging
torrent not much more than a hundred feet in width； spanned by a
narrow suspension bridge which seemed to be supported by two fibre
ropes。 On the hither side of this bridge stood a guard hut； and to
their dismay out of this hut ran three men armed with spears；
evidently to cut them off。 One of these men sped across the bridge and
took his stand at the further end； while the other two posted
themselves in their path at the entrance to it。
The Mungana slacked his speed and said one word〃Finished！〃 and
Jeekie also hesitated； then turned and pointed behind them。
Alan looked back and flitt