Atthetouchofthefetishthemanscreamedlikeahorseinpainorterror，andsoldiersleapingonhimwithasavageshout，draggedhimupanothergangwayoppositetothatbywhichhehaddescended，whereon，toallappearancesmoredeadthanalive，hedepartedintotheshadows。Thehornsanddrumssetupabrayoftriumph，theAsikaclappedherhandsapprovingly，thespectatorscheered，andanothervictimwasbundleddownthegangwayandsubmittedtothejudgmentoftheBonsas，whichcameathimlikeahungrypikeatafrog。Thenfollowedmoreandmore，somebeingchosenandsomeletgo，tillatlast，growingweary，thepriestsdirectedthesoldierstodrivetheprisonersdowninbatchesuntilthepeninthewaterwasfullasthoughwithhuddledsheep。Ifthehorriblegoldenmasksswamatthemandtouchedoneoftheirnumber，theywerealldraggedaway；iftheseremainedquiescenttheywereletgo。
SothethingwentonuntilatlengthAlancouldbearnomoreofit。
“Lady，“hesaidtotheAsikawhenshepausedforamomentfromherhand-clapping，“Iamweary，Iwouldsleep。“
“What！“sheexclaimed，“doyouwishtosleeponsuchagloriousnightwhensomanyevildoersarecomingtotheirjustdoom？Well，well，goifyouwill，forthenmypromiseisoffmeandIcanhastenthisbusinessanddealwiththewickedbeforethepeopleaccordingtoourcustom。Good-nighttoyou，Vernoon，to-morrowwewillmeet，“andshecalledtosomeprieststoleadhimaway，andwithhimtheOgulacannibalswhomshehadgiventohimasservants。
Alanwentthankfullyenough。Asheplungedintooneofthepassagesthesoundoffrightfulyellingreachedhisears，followedbyloud，triumphantshouts。
“NowyougonetheykillthosewhoBonsasmellout，“saidJeekie。“Whyyounowaitandsee？Veryinterestingsight。“
“Holdyourtongue，“answeredAlansavagely。“Didyouthinksoyearsagowhenyouwereputintothatpentobebutchered？“
“No，Major，“repliedtheunabashedJeekie，“notthinkatallthen，toofargone。Butseeotherpeopleinthereandknowitnot/you/，quitedifferentmatter。“
Theyreachedtheirroom。AtthedoorofitFahniandhisfollowerswereledofftosomequartersnearby，blessingAlanastheywentbecausehehadsavedtheirlives。
“Jeekie，“hesaidwhentheywerealone，“tellme，whatmakesthathellishidolswimaboutinthewaterpickingoutsomepeopleandleavingothersalone？“
“Major，Inotknow，nooneknowexcepttoppriestandAsika。Perhapstheremanunderneath，perhapstheypullstring，orperhapsfetishaliveandhedowhathelike。Pleasedon’tcallhimnames，Major，orherememberandcomeafterusonetime，andthatbadjob，“andJeekieshiveredvisibly。
“Bosh！“answeredAlan，butallthesameheshiveredalso。“Jeekie，“heaskedagain，“whathappenstothosepeoplewhomtheBonsassmellout？“
“Caseofgood-bye，Major。Sometimestheychopoffnut，sometimestheyspiflicateingoldtub，sometimespriest-manmakeholeinwhatwhitedoctorcall/diagram/——andshakehandswithheart——Allmatteroftaste，Major，justasAsikaplease。Ifshelikevictimortheyoldfriends，chopoffhead；ifshenotlikehim——doworsethings。“
MorethansatisfiedwithhisinformationAlanwenttobed。Forhourafterhourthatnighthelaytossingandturning，hauntedbytherecollectionsofthedreadfulsightsthathehadseenandofthehorribleAsika，horribleandhalf-naked，glaringathimamorouslythroughthecrystaleyesofLittleBonsa。Whenatlasthefellasleepitwastodreamthathewasaloneinthewaterwiththegodwhichpursuedhimasasharkpursuesashipwreckedsailor。Neverdidheexperienceanightmarethatwashalfsoawful。Onlyonethingcouldbemoreawful，therealityitself。
“Jeekie，“saidAlannextmorning，“ItellyouagainthatIhavehadenoughofthisplace，Iwanttogetout。“
“Yes，Major，thatjustwhatmousesaywhenhefinishcheeseintrap，butmissuscomealong，callhim’Pretty，pretty，’anddrownhimallthesame，“andhenoddedinthedirectionoftheAsika’shouse。
“Jeekie，ithasgottobedone——doyouhearme？Ihadratherdietryingtogetawaythanstopheretillthenexttwomonthsareup。IfIamhereonthenightofthenextfullmoonbutone，IshallshootthatAsikaandthenshootmyself，andyoumusttakeyourchance。Doyouunderstand？“
“UnderstandthatfoolishgameandpoorlookoutforJeekie，Major，butcan’tthinkofanyplan。“Thenherubbedhisbignosereflectivelyandadded，“Fahniandhispeopleyourslavesnow，’sposewehavetalkwithhim。Itellprieststobringhimalongwhentheycomewithbreakfast。
Leaveittome，Major。“
Alandidleaveittohim，withtheresultthatafterlongargumentthepriestsconsentedorobtainedpermissiontoproduceFahniandhisfollowers，andalittlewhileafterthegreatmenarrivedlookingverydejected，andsalutedAlanhumbly。Biddingtherestofthembeseated，hecalledFahnitotheendoftheroomandaskedhimthroughJeekieifheandhismendidnotwishtoreturnhome。
“Indeedwedo，whitelord，“answeredtheoldchief，“buthowcanwe？
TheAsikahasagrudgeagainstourtribeandbutforyouwouldhavekilledeveryoneofuslastnight。Wearesnaredandmuststopheretillwedie。“
“Wouldnotyourpeoplehelpyouiftheyknew，Fahni？“
“Yes，lord，Ithinkso。ButhowcanItellthemwhodoubtlessbelieveusdead？NorcanIsendamessenger，forthisplaceisguardedandhewouldbekilledatonce。WecamehereforyoursakebecauseyouhadLittleBonsa，agodthatisknownintheeastandthewest，inthenorthandthesouth，andbecauseyousavedmefromthelion，andhere，alas！wemustperish。“
“Jeekie，“saidAlan，“canyounotfindamessenger？Haveyou，whowerebornofthispeople，nofriendamongthematall？“
Jeekieshookhiswhiteheadandrolledhiseyes。Thensuddenlyanideastruckhim。
“Yes，“hesaid，“Ithinkone，p’raps。Imeanmyma。“
“Yourma！“saidAlan。“Oh！Iremember。Haveyouheardanythingmoreabouther？“
“Yes，Major。Veryoldgirlnow，butstrongonleg，sotheysay。
Believeshegladgoanywhere，becauseshepublicnuisance；theytiredofherinprisonandtherenoworkhousehere，sotheywantturnheroutstarve，whichofcoursebreakmyheart。Perhapsshetakemessage。
Someusethatway。OnlythinksheafraidgoOgula-landbecausetheynastycannibalandeatoldwoman。“
WhenallthiswastranslatedtoFahniheassuredJeekiewithearnestnessthatnothingwouldinducetheOgulapeopletoeathismother；moreover，thatforhersaketheywouldneverlookcarnivorouslyonanotheroldwoman，fatorthin。
“Well，“saidJeekie，“Itryagaintogetholdofoldladyandwesee。
Ipraypriests，whomyousaveotherday，letheroutofchokeyasI
sicktofalluponbosom，whichquitetrue，onlysomuchtothinkofthatnotimetoattendtodomesticrelationtillnow。“
Thatveryafternoon，onreturningtohisroomfromwalkinginthedismalcedargarden，Alan’searsweregreetedbyasoundofshrillquarrelling。Lookinguphesawanextraordinarysight。Atall，gaunt，witheredfemalewhomighthavebeenofanyagebetweensixtyandahundred，hadgotJeekie’searinonehand，andwiththeotherwasslappinghiminthefacewhilesheexclaimed:
“Othief，whombythecurseofBonsaIbroughtintotheworld，whathaveyoudonewithmyblanket？Wasitnotenoughthatyou，myonlyson，shouldleavemetoearnmyownliving？Mustyoualsotakemybestblanketwithyou，forwhichreasonIhavebeencoldeversince。Whereisit，thief，whereisit？“
“Wornout，mymother，wornout，“heanswered，tryingtofreehimself。
“Youforget，honourablemother，thatIgrowoldandyoushouldhavebeendeadyearsago。Howcanyouexpectablankettolastsolong？
Leavegoofmyear，belovedmother，andIwillgiveyouanother。I
havetravelledacrosstheworldtofindyouandIwanttohearnewsofyourhusband。“
