Sogatheringtogetherwhatremainedoftheirfewpossessions，theystartedleisurelydowntheslopetowardstheisland，andastheywentJeekieexplainedallthathadhappened，sinceOgulawasnotoneoftheAfricanlanguageswithwhichAlanwasacquaintedandhehadonlybeenabletounderstandawordhereandthere。
“Look，“saidJeekiewhenhehadfinished，andturning，hepointedtothecannibalswhoweredrivingthefewsurvivorsofthedwarfsbeforethemtothespotwheretheircanoeswerebeached。“Thosedwarfsdonefor；capitalbusiness，forestroadquitesafetotravelhomeby；Ogulabestfriendsinworld；veryremarkableescapefromdelicatesituation。“
“Veryremarkableindeed，“saidAlan；“IshallsoonbegintobelieveintheluckofLittleBonsa。“
“Yes，Major，youseesheanxioustogethomeandmakepathclear。
But，“headdedgloomily，“howshebehavewhenshereachthere，can’tsay。“
“NorcanI，Jeekie，butmeanwhileIhopeshewillprovideuswithsomedinner，forIamfaintforwantoffoodandallthetinnedmeatislost。“
“Food，“repeatedJeekie。“Yes，necessityforhumanstomach，whichunhappilybuiltthatway，soOgulafindout，andsodwarfsfindoutpresently。“Thenhelookedabouthimandinakindofaimlessmannerliftedhisgunandfired。“Thereweare，“hesaid，“LittleBonsaunderstandbodilyneeds，“andhepointedtoafatbuckofthesortthatinSouthAfricaiscalledDuiker，whichhiskeeneyeshaddiscoveredinitsformagainstastonewhereitnowlayshotthroughtheheadanddying。“Nofurthertroubleonscoreofgrubfornextthreeday，“headded。“Comeontocamp，Major。Isendonesavageskinandbringthatbuck。“
Soontheywenttotheriverbank，Alansotirednowthattheexcitementwasover，thathewasnotsorrytoleanuponJeekie’sarm。
Reachingthestreamtheydrankdeepofitswater，andfindingthatitwasshallowatthisspot，wadedthroughittotheislandwithoutwaitingforacanoetoferrythemover。Heretheyfoundapartyofthecannibalsalreadyatworkclearingreedswiththeirlarge，curvedknives，inordertomakeasiteforthehut。Anotherpartyunderthecommandoftheirchiefhimselfhadgonetothetopendoftheisland，tocutthestemsofawillow-likeshrubtoserveasuprights。ThesepeoplestaredatAlan，whichwasnotstrange，astheyhadneverbeforeseenthefaceofawhitemanandwerewondering，doubtless，whathadbecomeoftheancientandterriblefetishthathehadworn。WithoutenteringintoexplanationsJeekieinagreatvoiceorderedtwoofthemtofetchthebuck，whichthewhiteman，whomhedescribedas“husbandofthegoddess，“had“slainbythunder。“Whenthesehaddepartedupontheirerrand，leavingJeekietosuperintendthebuildingoperations，Alansatdownuponafallentree，watchingoneofthesavagesmakingfirewithapointedstickandsometinder。
Justthenfromtheheadoftheislandwherethewillowswerebeingcut，rosethesoundofloudroaringsandofmencryingoutinaffright。SeizinghisgunAlanrantowardsthespotwhencethenoisecame。Forcinghiswaythroughabrakeofreeds，hesawacurioussight。TheOgulaincuttingthewillowswhichgrewaboutsometumbledrocks，haddisturbedalionessthathadherlairthere，andbeingfearlesssavages，hadtriedtokillherwiththeirspears。Thebrute，rendereddesperatebywounds，andtheimpossibilityofescape，forherethesurroundingwaterwasdeep，hadchargedthemboldly，andasitchanced，felledtothegroundtheirchief，thatyellow-toothedmantowhomJeekiegavehisorders。Nowshewasstandingoverhimlookingroundherroyally，hergreatpawuponhisbreast，whichitseemedalmosttocover，whiletheOgularanroundandroundshouting，fortheyfearedthatiftheytriedtoattackher，shewouldkillthechief。Thisindeedsheseemedabouttodo，forjustasAlanarrivedshedroppedherheadasthoughtotearouttheman’sthroat。Instantlyhefired。Itwasasnapshot，butasitchancedagoodone，forthebulletstruckthelionessinthebackoftheneckjustforwardofandbetweentheshoulders，severingthespinesothatwithoutasoundoranyfurthermovementshesankstonedeadupontheprostratecannibal。
Forawhilehisfollowersstoodastonished。Theymighthaveheardofgunsfromthecoastpeople，butlivingastheydidintheinteriorwherewhitefolkdidnotdaretotravel，theyhadneverseentheirterribleeffects。
“Magic！“theycried。“Magic！“
“Ofcourse，“exclaimedJeekie，whobynowhadarriveduponthescene。
“WhatelsedidyouexpectfromthehusbandofLittleBonsa？Magic，thegreatestofmagic。Go，rollthatbeastawaybeforeyourchiefiscrushedtodeath。“
Theyobeyed，andthemansatup，afearfulspectacle，forhewassmotheredwiththebloodofthelionandsomewhatcutbyherclaws，thoughotherwiseunhurt。Thenfeelingthatthelifewasstillwholeinhim，hecreptonhishandsandkneestowhereAlanstood，andkissedhisfeet。
“Aha！“saidJeekie，“LittleBonsascoreagain。Cannibaltribeourslavehenceforthforevermore。Yes，tillkingdomcome。Comeon，Major，andcooksupperinperfectpeace。“
Thesupperwascookedandeatenwithgratitude，forseldomhadtwomenneededasquaremealmore，andneverdidvenisontastebetter。Bythetimethatitwasfinisheddarknesshadfallen，andbeforetheyturnedintosleepintheneatreedhutthattheOgulahadbuilt，AlanandJeekiewalkeduptheislandtoseeifthelionesshadbeenskinned，astheydirected。Thistheyfoundwasdone；eventhecarcaseitselfhadbeenremovedtoserveasmeatforthesefoul-feedingpeople。Theyclimbedontothepileofrocksinwhichthebeasthadmadeherlair，andlookeddowntherivertowhere，twohundredyardsaway，theOgulawereencamped。Fromthiscampthereroseasoundofrevelry，andbythelightofthegreatfiresthatburnedthere，theyperceivedthatthehungrysavageswerebusyfeasting，forsomeofthemsatincircles，whilstothers，theirnakedformslookingatthatdistancelikethoseofimpsintheinfernalregions，flittedtoandfroagainsttheglowingbackgroundofthefires，bearingstrange-lookingjointsonprongsofwood。
“Isupposetheyareeatingthelioness，“saidAlandoubtfully。
“No，no，Major，notlioness；eatdwarfbydozen——justlikeoystersatseaside。ButforLittleBonsa/we/sitonthoseforksnowandlookuncommonsmall。“
“Beasts！“saidAlanindisgust；“theymakemefeeluncommonsick。Letusgotobed。Isupposetheywon’tmurderusinoursleep，willthey？“
“Notthey，Major，toomuchafraid。Alsowetheirblood-brothersnow，becausewebringthemfirst-classdinnerandsavechieffromlion’sfury。Noblamethemtoomuch，Major，goodfellowsreallywithgentleheart，butgrublikethatfromgenerationtogeneration。Everymother’ssonofthemhavemanymeninside，thatwhytheysobigandstrong。OgulapeoplecovergreatmultitudelikeCharityinBook。NodoubtsentbyProvidencetokeepdownextrapop’lation。Notrighttothinktoohardofpoorfellowswho，asIsay，verykindandgentleatheartandmostlovinginfamilyrelation，excepttooldwomenwhomtheyeatalso，sothattheynogetboredwithtoolonglife。“
Wearyanddisgustedbythisabominablesightthoughhewas，Alanburstoutlaughingathisretainer’sapologyforthesweet-naturedOgula，whostruckhimasthemostrepulsiveblackguardsthathehadevermetorheardofinallhisexperienceofAfricansavages。Thenwishingtoseeandhearnomoreofthemthatnight，heretreatedrapidlytothehutandwassoonfastasleepwithhisheadpillowedontheboxthathidthecharmsofLittleBonsa。Whenheawokeitwasbroaddaylight。
Risinghewentdowntotherivertowash，andneverhadabathbeenmorewelcome，forduringalltheirjourneythroughtheforestnosuchthingwasobtainable。Onhisreturnhefoundhisgarmentswellbrushedwithdryreedsandsetuponarockinthehotsuntoair，whileJeekieinacheerfulmood，wasengagedcookingbreakfastinthefrying-pan，towhichhehadclungthroughallthevicissitudesoftheirflight。
“Nocoffee，Major，“hesaidregretfully，“thatstopinforest。Butnevermind，hotwaterbetterfornerve。OgulamessengersgoneinlittlecanoetoAsikiatbreakofday。Travelslowtilltheyworkoffdwarf，butafterwardsgoquick。Isendlionskinwiththemaspresentfromyoutogreathigh-priestessAsika，alsoclawsfornecklace。Nolionsthereandshethinkmuchofthat。AlsoitmakeherlovemightymanwhocankillfiercelionlikeSamsoninBook。Loveofheadwomanveryvaluableallyamongbeastlysavagepeoples。“
“IamsureIhopeitwon’t，“saidAlanwithearnestness，“butnodoubtitisaswelltokeeponthesoftsideofthegoodladyifwecan。
Whattimedowestart？“
“Inonehour，Major。Ibeentocampalready，chosenbestcanoeandfinestmenforrowers。Chief——hecalledFanny——sogratefulthathecomewiththemhimself。“
“Indeed。Thatisverykindofhim，butIsay，Jeekie，whatarethesefellowsgoingtoliveon？Ican’tstandwhatyoucalltheir’favouritechop。’“
“No，no，Major，thatallright。ItellthemthatwhentheytravelwithLittleBonsa，theymustkeepLentlikepiousRomanCatholicfamilythatlivenearYarleys。Theycatchplentyfishinriver，andperhapsweshootgame，orrich’potamus，whichtheylike’causehefat。“
EvidentlytheOgulachief，Fahnibyname，notFanny，asJeekiecalledhim，wasamanofhisword，forbeforethehourwasupheappearedattheislandincommandofalargecanoemannedbytwelvesplendid-
lookingsavages。Springingtoland，heprostratedhimselfbeforeAlan，kissinghisfeetashehaddoneonthepreviousnight，andmakingalongspeech。
“Thatverygoodspirit，“exclaimedJeekie。“Liketoseeheatheninhisdarknesslickwhitegentleman’sboot。Hesayyouhislordandgreatmagicianwhosavehislife，andknowallLittleBonsa’ssecrets，whichmanyandunrepeatable。Hesayhedieforyoutwiceadayifneedbe，andgoondyingto-morrowandallnextyear。HesayhetakeyousafetillyoumeetAsikiandforyoursake，thoughhehungry，eatnomanforonewholemonth，orperhapslonger。Nowwestartatonce。“
SotheystarteduptheriverthatwascalledKatsena，AlanandJeekieseatedinalordlyfashionnearthesternofthecanoebeneathanawningmadeoutofsomesticksandagrassmat。Intruthaftertheirseveretoilandadventuresintheforest，thismethodofjourneyingprovedquiteluxurious。Exceptforarapidhereandthereoverorroundwhichthecanoemustbedragged，theriverwasbroadandthesceneryonitsbankspark-likeandbeautiful。Moreoverthecountry，perhapsowingtotheappetitesoftheOgula，appearedtobepracticallyuninhabitedexceptbyvastherdsofeverysortofgame。
Alldaytheysatinthecanoewhichthestalwartrowerspropelled，insilenceforthemostpart，sincetheywereterriblyafraidofthewhiteman，andstillmoresooftherenownedfetishwhichtheyknewhecarriedwithhim。Thenwheneveningcametheymooredtheircrafttothebankandcampedtillthefollowingmorning。Nordidtheylackforfood，sincegamebeingsoplentiful，itwasonlynecessaryforAlantowalkafewhundredyardsandshootafateland，orhartebeest，orotherbuckwhichinitsignoranceofgunswouldallowhimtoapproachquiteclose。Elephants，rhinoceros，andbuffalowerealsocommon，whilegreatherdsofgiraffemightbeseenwanderingbetweenthescatteredtrees，butastheywerenotuponahuntingtripandtheirammunitionwasverylimited，withthesetheydidnotinterfere。
