Sotheywereseparated，butasitchancedthatcasenevercameon，fornextmorningthisOgulawaskilledinthefightingtogetherwithtwoofhiscompanions，whiletheothersinvolvedinthechargekeptthemselvesoutofsight。WhetherJeekie’s“ma“wasorwasnoteatenbytheOgulanooneeverlearnedforcertain。Atleastshewasneverheardofanymore。
Alanwassleepingheavilywhenasoundofrushingfeetandofstrange，thrillingbattle-criesawokehim。Hesprangup，snatchingataspearandshieldwhichJeekiehadprovidedforhim，andranouttofindfromthepositionofthemoonthatdawnwasnear。
“Comeon，Major，“saidJeekie，“Asikimakenightattack；theyalwayslikedoeverythingatnightwholovedarkness，becausetheireyeevil。
Comeonquick，Major，“andhebegantodraghimofftowardtherear。
“Butthat’sthewrongway，“saidAlanpresently。“Theyareattackingoverthere。“
“DoyouthinkJeekiefool，Major，thathedon’tknowthat？Hetakeyouwherethey/not/attacking。PlentyOgulatobekilled，butnot/many/
whitemenlikeyou，andinallworldonly/one/Jeekie！“
“Youcold-bloodedoldscoundrel！“ejaculatedAlanasheturnedandboltedbacktowardsthenoiseoffighting，followedbyhisreluctantservant。
Bythetimethathereachedthefirstranks，whichweresomewayoff，theworstoftheattackwasover。Ithadbeenshortandsharp，fortheAsikihadhopedtofindtheOgulaunpreparedandtotaketheircampwitharush。ButtheOgula，whoknewtheirhabits，werewaitingforthem，sothatpresentlytheywithdrew，carryingofftheirwoundedandleavingaboutfiftydeadupontheground。Assoonashewasquitesurethattheenemywereallgone，Jeekie，armedwithalargebattle-axe，wentofftoinspectthesefallensoldiers。Alan，whowashelpingtheOgulawounded，wonderedwhyhetooksomuchinterestinthem。Halfanhourlaterhiscuriositywassatisfied，forJeekiereturnedwithovertwentyheavygoldrings，torques，andbraceletsslungoverhisshoulder。
“Wheredidyougetthose，Jeekie？“heasked。
“Offpoorchapsthatpegoutjustnow，Major。RememberAsikisoldiersnearlyalwayswearthesethingsandthattheynomoreusetothem。ButifeverhegetoutofthisJeekiewantspendhisoldageinrespectablepeace。Sohefetchthem。Hardwork，though，forringsallinonebitandAsikiverytoughtochop。Don’tlookcross，Major；yourememberwhat’postlesay，thathewhonoprovideforhisownselfworsethancannibal。“
JustthenFahnicameupandannouncedthattheAsikigeneralhadsentamessengerintothecampproposingtermsofpeace。
“Whatterms？“askedAlan。
“These，whiteman:thatweshouldsurrenderyouandyourservantandgoourwayunharmed。“
“Indeed，Fahni，andwhatdidyouanswer？“
“Whiteman，Irefused；butItellyou，“headdedwarningly，“thatmycaptainswishedtoaccept。TheysaidthatIhadcomebacktothemsafeandthattheyfeartheAsiki，whoaredevils，notmen，andwhowillbringthecurseofBonsaonusifwegoonfightingwiththem。StillI
refused，sayingthatiftheygaveyouupIwouldgowithyou，whosavedmylifefromthelionandafterwardsfromthepriestsofBonsa。
Sothemessengerwentbackand，whiteman，wemarchatonce，andI
prayyoualwaystokeepclosetomethatImaywatchoveryou。“
Thenbeganthatlongtrampdowntheriver，whichAlanalwaysthoughtafterwardstriedhimmorethananyoftheterribleeventsofhisescape。Foralthoughtherewasbutlittlefighting，onlyrearguardactionsindeed，everydaytheAsikisentmessengersrenewingtheiroffersofpeaceonthesoleconditionofthesurrenderofhimselfandJeekie。AtlastoneeveningtheycametothatplacewhereAlanfirstmettheOgula，andoncemorehecampedupontheislandonwhichhehadshotthelion。Atnightfall，afterhehadeaten，FahnivisitedhimhereandAlanbodedevilfromhisface。
“Whiteman，“hesaid，“Icanprotectyounolonger。TheAsikimessengershavebeenwithusagainandtheysaythatunlesswegiveyouupto-morrowatthedawn，theirarmywillpushonaheadofusanddestroymytown，whichistwodays’marchdowntheriver，andallthewomenandchildreninit，andthatafterwardstheywillfightagreatbattlewithus。ThereforemypeoplesaythatImustgiveyouup，orthatifIdonottheywillelectanotherchiefanddosothemselves。“
“Thenyouwillgiveupadeadman，Fahni。“
“Friend，“saidtheoldchiefinalowvoice，“thenightisdarkandtheforestnotsofaraway。Moreover，Ihavesetnoguardsonthatsideoftheriver，andJeekieheredoesnotforgetaroadthathehastravelled。Lastly，Ihavehearditsaidthattherearesomeotherwhitepeoplewithsoldierscampedintheedgeoftheforest。Now，ifyouwerenothereinthemorning，howcouldIgiveyouup？“
“Iunderstand，Fahni。Youhavedoneyourbestforme，andnow，good-
night。JeekieandIaregoingtotakeawalk。SometimesyouwillthinkofthemonthswespenttogetherinBonsa-Town，willyounot？“
“Yes，andofyoualso，whiteman，forsolongasIshalllive。Walkfastandfar，fortheAsikiarecleveratfollowingaspoor。Good-
night，Friend，andtoyou，Jeekiethecunning，good-nightalso。IgototellmycaptainsthatIwillsurrenderyouatdawn，“andwithoutmorewordshevanishedoutoftheirsightandoutoftheirlives。
MeanwhileJeekie，foreseeingtheissueofthistalk，wasalreadyengagedindoinguptheirfewbelongings，includingthegoldrings，somefood，andanativecookingpot，inabundlesurroundedbyacoupleofbarkblankets。
“Comeon，Major，“hesaid，handingAlanonespearandtakinganotherhimself。“Oldcannibalquiteright，verynicenightforawalk。Comeon，Major，rivershallowjusthere。Ithinkthishappenandtryitbeforedark。YoujustfollowJeekie，thatallyougottodo。“
Soleavingthefireburninginfrontoftheirboughshelter，theywadedthestreamandstarteduptheopposingslope，meetingnoman。
Darkasitwas，Jeekieseemedtohavenodifficultyinfindingtheway，forasFahnisaid，anativedoesnotforgetthepathhehasoncetravelled。Allnightlongtheywalkedrapidly，andwhendawnbrokefoundthemselvesattheedgeoftheforest。
“Jeekie，“saidAlan，“whatdidFahnimeanbythattaleaboutwhitepeople？“
“Don’tknow，Major，thinkperhapshelietoletyoudowneasy。Mygolly！whatthat？“
Ashespokeadistantechoreachedtheirears，theechoofarifleshot。“ThinkFannynotlieafterall，“wentonJeekie；“thatwhiteman’sgun，sharpcrack，smokelesspowder，butwonderhowhecomeinthisplace。Well，wesoonfindout。Comeon，Major。“
Tiredastheyweretheybrokeintoarun；theprospectofseeingawhitefaceagainwastoomuchforthem。Halfamileorsofurtherontheycaughtsightofafigureevidentlyengagedinstalkinggameamongthetrees，orsotheyjudgedfromhiscautiousmovements。
“Whiteman！“saidJeekie，andAlannodded。
Theycreptforwardsilentlyandwithcare，forwhoknewwhatthiswhitemanmightbeafter，keepingagreattreebetweenthemandtheman，tillatlength，passingrounditsbole，theyfoundthemselvesfacetofacewithhimandnotfiveyardsaway。Notwithstandinghisunaccustomedtropicaldressandhisfaceburntcoppercolourbythesun，Alanknewthemanatonce。
“Aylward！“hegasped；“Aylward！Youhere？“
Hestarted。HestaredatAlan。Thenhiscountenancechanged。Itshabitualcalmbrokeupasitwaswonttodoinmomentsofdeepemotion。Itbecameveryevil，asthoughsomedemonofhateandjealousywereatworkbehindit。Thethinlipsquivered，theeyesglared，andwithoutspokenwordorwarning，heliftedtherifleandfiredstraightatAlan。Thebulletmissedhim，fortheaimwashigh。
PassingoverAlan’shead，itcutaneatgroovethroughthehairofthetallerJeekiewhowasimmediatelybehindhim。
Nextinstant，withaspringlikethatofatigerJeekiewasonAylward。Theweightofhischargeknockedhimbackwardstotheground，andtherehelay，pinnedfast。
“Whatforyoudothat？“exclaimedtheindignantJeekie。“Whatforyoushootthroughwoolofrespectablenigger，SirRobertAylward，Bart。？
NowIthrottleyou，youdirtyhog-swine。NoMagistrates’CourthereinDwarfForest，“andhebegantosuittheactiontotheword。
“Lethimgo，Jeekie。Takehisrifleandlethimgo，“exclaimedAlan，whoallthiswhilehadstoodamazed。“Theremustbesomemistake，hecannothavemeanttomurderme。“
“Don’tknowwhathemean，butknowhisbulletgothroughmyhair，Major，andgivemenewparting，“grumbledJeekieasheobeyed。
“Ofcourseitwasamistake，Vernon，forIsupposeitisVernon，“saidAylward，asherose。“Idonotwonderthatyourservantisangry，butthetruthisthatyoursuddenappearancefrightenedmeoutofmywitsandIfiredautomatically。Wehavebeenlivinginsomedangerhereandmynervesarenotasstrongastheyusedtobe。“
“Indeed，“answeredAlan。“No，Jeekiewillcarrytherifleforyou；
yes，andIthinkthatpistolalso，everyouncemakesadifferencewalkinginahotclimate，andIrememberthatyoualwaysweredangerouswithfirearms。There，youwillbemorecomfortableso。Andnow，whodoyoumeanby’we’？“
“ImeanBarbaraandmyself，“heansweredslowly。
Alan’sjawdropped，heshookuponhisfeet。
