Atthesamemomentthesesavages，whowerenotmorethantwohundredyardsaway，caughtsightofthemandoftheirpursuers，whojustthenappearedontheridgetotherightandleft。Thedwarfs，onperceivingthesestrangers，utteredashrillyellofterror，andwheeledabouttoflytotheirfastnessesintheforest，whichevidentlytheyregrettedeverhavingleft。Itwastoolate。Withanansweringshoutthespearsmen，whowereextendedinalongline，apparentlyhuntingforgame，chargedafterthematfullspeed。Theywerefreshandtheirlegswerelong。Thereforeverysoontheyovertookthedwarfsandevengotinfrontofthem，headingthemofffromtheforest。Theendmaybeguessed，——saveafewwhomtheyreservedalive，theykilledthemmercilessly，andalmostwithoutlosstothemselves，sincethelittleforestfolkweretooterrifiedandexhaustedtoshootatthemwiththeirpoisonedarrows，andtheyhadnootherweapons。
Infact，asAlandiscoveredafterwards，forgenerationstherehadbeenwarbetweenthem，sincealltheothertribeshatethedwarfs，whomtheylookuponasdangeroushumanmonkeys，andneverbeforehadthebigmenfoundsuchachanceofsquaringtheiraccount。
WhenJeekiesawthisfearful-lookingcompany，forthefirsttimehisspiritsseemedtofailhim。
“Ogula！“heexclaimedwithagroanandsathimselfuponaflatrock，pullingAlandownbesidehim。“Ogula！Knowthembyhairandspears，“
herepeated。“Upgumtreenow，saygood-night。“
“Why？Whoarethey？“gaspedAlan。
“Greatcannibal，Major，eatman，eatusto-night，orperhapsto-morrowmorningwhenweniceandcool。Sayprayers，Major，quicknotimewaste。“
“IthinkIwillshootanOgulaortwofirst，“saidAlangrimly，ashestoodupandliftedhisgun。
“No，notshoot，nogood。Pretendnotbeafraid，bestchance。LetJeekiethink，letJeekiethink，“andheslappedhisforeheadwithhislargehand。
Apparentlytheactionbroughtinspiration，fornextinstanthegrabbedhismasterbythearmanddraggedhimbackbehindtheshelterofabigboulderwhichtheyhadjustpassed。ThenwithreallymarvellousswiftnesshecutthestrapsofthetinboxthatAlanworeuponhisback，andsincetherewasnotimetofindthekeyandunlockit，seizedthelittlepadlockwithwhichitwasfastenedbetweenhisfingerandthumb，andputtingouthisgreatstrength，withasinglewrenchtwisteditoff。
“Whatareyou——“beganAlan。
“Holdtongue，“heansweredsavagely，“makeyougod，Ipriest。OgulaknowLittleBonsa。Quick，quick！“
Inaminuteitwasdone，thegoldenmaskwasclappedontoAlan’shead，andtheleatherthongswerefastened。Moreover，Jeekiehimselfwasarrayedinthesolar-topetowhichallthiswhilehehadclung，allowingstreamsofgreenmosquitonettingtohangdownoverhiswhiterobe。
“Comeoutnow，Major，“hesaid，“andplaygod。Youwhistle，Idopalaver。“
Thenhandinhandtheywalkedfrombehindtherock。Bythistimetheparticularcompanyofthecannibalsthatwasoppositetothem，whichhappenedtoincludetheirchief，hadclimbedthesteepslopeofthehillandarrivedwithinadistanceoftwentyyards。Havingseenthetwomenandguessedthattheyhadtakenrefugebehindtherock，theirspearswereliftedtokillthem，sincewhenhebeholdsanythingstrange，thefirstimpulseofasavageistobringittoitsdeath。
Theylooked；theysaw。Ofasuddendownwenttheraisedspears。
Someofthosewhoheldthemfellupontheirfaces，whileothersturnedtofly，appalledbythevisionofthisstrangelycladmanwiththeheadofgold。Onlytheirchief，agreatyellow-toothedfellowwhoworeanecklaceofbaboonclaws，remainederect，staringatthemwithopenmouth。
Alanblewthewhistlethatwassetbetweenthelipsofthemask，andtheyshivered。ThenJeekiespoketotheminsometonguewhichtheyunderstood，saying:
“Doyou，OOgula，daretoofferviolencetoLittleBonsaandherpriests？Saynow，whyshouldwenotstrikeyoudeadwiththemagicofthegodwhichshehasborrowedfromthewhiteman？“andhetappedthegunheheld。
“Thisiswitchcraft，“answeredthechief。“Wesawtwomenrunning，huntedbythedwarfs，notthreeminutesago，andnowwesee——whatwesee，“andheputhishandbeforehiseyes，thenafterapausewenton——“AsforLittleBonsa，sheleftthiscountryinmyfather’sday。HegaveherpassageupontheheadofawhitemanandtheAsikiwizardshavemournedhereversince，orsoIhear。“
“Fool，“answeredJeekie，“asshewent，soshereturns，ontheheadofawhiteman。YonderIseeanelderwithgreyhairwhodoubtlessknewofLittleBonsainhisyouth。Lethimcomeupandlookandsaywhetherornothisisthegod。“
“Yes，yes，“exclaimedthechief，“goup，oldman，goup，“andhejabbedathimwithhisspearuntil，unwillinglyenough，hewent。
Theelderarrived，makingobeisance，andwhenhewasnear，Alanblewthewhistleinhisface，whereonhefelltohisknees。
“ItisLittleBonsa，“hesaidinatremblingvoice，“LittleBonsawithoutadoubt。Ishouldknow，asmyfatherandmyelderbrotherweresacrificedtoher，andIonlyescapedbecausesherejectedme。Downonyourface，Chief，anddohonourtotheYellowGodbeforesheslayyou。“
Instantlyeverymanwithinhearingprostratedhimselfandlaystill。
ThenJeekiestrodeupanddownamongthemshoutingout:
“LittleBonsahascomebackandbroughttoyou，Man-eaters，afatoffering，anofferingofthedwarf-peoplewhomyouhate，ofthetreacherousdwarf-peoplewhowhenyouwalktheancientforestpath，murderyouwiththeirpoisonedarrows。PraiseLittleBonsawhodeliversyoufromyourfoes，andhearkentoherbidding。SendonmessengerstotheAsikisayingthatLittleBonsacomeshomeagainfromacrosstheBlackWaterbringingtheWhitePreacher，whomsheledawayinthedayoftheirfathers。SaytothemthattheAsikimustsendoutacompanythatLittleBonsaandtheMagicianwithwhomsheranaway，maybeescortedbacktoherhousewiththestatewhichhasbeenhersfromthebeginningoftime。Saytothemalsothattheymustprepareagreatofferingofpuregoldoutoftheirstore，asmuchgoldasfiftystrongmencancarry，notonehandfulless，tobegiventotheWhiteMagicianwhobringsbackSmallSwimmingHead，foriftheywithholdsuchanoffering，heandLittleBonsawillvanishnevertobeseenagain，andcursesanddesolationwillfallupontheirland。Riseandobey，ChiefoftheOgula。“
Thenthemanscrambledtohisfeetandanswered:
“Itshallbedone，OPriestoftheYellowGod。To-morrowatthedawnswiftmessengerswillstartfortheGoldHouseoftheAsiki。To-nighttheycannotleave，asweareallveryhungryandmusteat。“
“Whatmustyoueat？“askedJeekiesuspiciously。
“OPriest，“answeredthechiefwithadeprecatorygesture，“whenfirstwesawyouwehopedthatitwouldbethewhitemanandyourself，forwehavenevertastedwhiteman。Butnowwefearthatyouwillnotconsenttothis，andasyouareholyandtheguardianofthegod，wecannoteatyouwithoutyourownconsent。Thereforefatdwarfmustbeourfood，ofwhich，however，therewillbeplentyforyouaswellasus。“
“Youdog！“exclaimedJeekieinavoiceoffuriousindignation。“Doyouthinkthatwhitemenandtheirhigh-borncompanions，suchasmyself，weremadetofillyourvilestomachs？ItellyouthatamealofthedeadlyBeanwouldagreebetterwithyou，forifyoudaresomuchastolookonus，oronanyofthewhiteracewithhunger，agonyshallseizeyourvitalsandyouandallyourtribeshalldieasthoughbypoison。
Moreover，wedonottouchthefleshofmen，norwillweseeiteaten。
Itisour’/orunda/，’itisconsecratetous，itmustnotpassourlips，normayoureyesbeholdit。Thereforewewillcampapartfromyoufurtherupthestreamandfindourownfood。Butto-morrowatthedawnthemessengersmustleaveaswehavecommanded。AlsoyoushallprovidestrongmenandalargecanoetobearLittleBonsaforwardtowardsherownhomeuntilshefindsherpeoplecomingouttogreether。
“Itshallbedone，“answeredthechiefhumbly，“EverythingshallbedoneaccordingtothewillofLittleBonsaspokenbyherpriest，thatshemayleaveablessingandnotacurseupontheheadsofthetribeoftheOgula。Saywhereyouwishtocampandmenshallruntobuildahouseofreedsforthegodtodwellin。“
Jeekielookedupanddowntheriverandsawthatinthecentreofitabouthalfamileaway，therewasanislandonwhichgrewsometrees。
“LittleBonsawillcampyonder，“hesaid。“Go，makeherhouseready，lightfireandbringcanoetopaddleusacross。Nowleaveus，allofyou，forifyoulooktoolonguponthefaceoftheYellowGodshewillaskasacrifice，anditisnotlawfulthatyoushouldseewhereshehidesherselfaway。“
Atthissayingthecannibalsdepartedasoneman，andattopspeed，someofthecanoesandotherstowarntheirfellowswhowereengagedinthecongenialworkofhuntingandkillingthedwarfs，nottodaretoapproachthewhitemanandhiscompanion。Athirdpartyrantothebankoftheriverthatwasoppositetotheislandtomakereadyastheyhadbeenbidden，sothatpresentlyAlanandJeekiewereleftquitealone。
“Ah！“saidJeekie，withagaspofsatisfaction，“/that/allright，everythingarrangedquitecomfortable。ThoughtLittleBonsacomeouttopsomehowandscoreoffdirtydwarfmonkeys。/They/nevergethometoteaanyway——stayanddinewithOgula。“
“Stopchattering，Jeekie，anduntiethisinfernalmask，Iamalmostchoked，“brokeinAlaninahollowvoice。
“Notsay’infernalmask，’Major，say’faceofangel。’LittleBonsawomanandlikeitbetter，alsotrue，ifonthisoccasiononly，forshesaveourskins，“saidJeekieasheunknottedthethongsandreverentlyreplacedthefetishinitstinbox。“My！“headded，contemplatinghismaster’sperspiringcountenance，“youblushlikegardencarrot；well，goldhotwearinafternoonsunbeneathTropicofCancer。NowwewalkonquietlyandItellyouallIarrangefornight’slodgingandfutureprogressofjointexpedition。“
