Alansprangupwithanexclamation；inhisnew-foundjoyhehadforgottenallabouttheAsiki。
“Keephairon，Major，“saidJeekiecheerfully；“don’tthinktheyattackyet，plentyoftimeforbreakfastfirst。Whentheycomewemakeitveryhotforthem，lotsofrifleandcartridgenow。“
“Can’twerunaway？“askedBarbara。
“No，Missy，can’trun；muststophereanddobest。Campwellbuilt，openallround，don’tthinktheytakeit。YouleaveeverythingtoJeekie，heseeyouthrough，butp’rapsyoulikecomebreakfastoutside，whereyouknowallthatgoon。“
Barbaradidlike，butasithappenedtheywereallowedtoconsumetheirmealinpeace，sincenoAsikiappeared。Assoonasitwasswallowedshereturnedtohertent，whileAlanandJeekiesettoworktostrengthenthedefencesofthelittlecampaswellastheywereable，andtomakereadyandserveoutthearmsandammunition。
Aboutmiddayamanwhomtheyhadpostedinatreethatgrewinsidethecampannouncedthathesawtheenemy，andnextmomentacompanyofthemrushedtowardsthemacrosstheopenandweregreetedbyavolleywhichkilledandwoundedseveralmen。Atthisexhibitionofmiraculouspower，fornoneofthesesoldiershadeverheardthereportoffirearmsorseentheireffect，theyretreatedrapidly，utteringshoutsofdismayandcarryingtheirdeadandwoundedwiththem。
“Doyousupposetheyhavegone，Jeekie？“askedAlananxiously。
Heshookhishead。
“Thinknot，Major，thinktheyfrightened，bybigbulletmagic，andgoconsultpriest。Alsoonlyafewofthemhere，restofarmycomelaterandtryrushusto-morrowmorningbeforedawn。ThatAsikicustom。“
“Thenwhatshallwedo，Jeekie？Runforitorstophere？“
“Thinkmuststophere，Major。Ifwebolt，carryingMissBarbara，whocan’twalkmuch，theyfollowonspoorandcatchus。Beststickinsidethisfenceandseewhathappen。Alsoonceoutsidep’rapsportersdesertandleaveus。“
Soastherewasnothingelsetodotheystayed，labouringalldayatthestrengtheningoftheirfortificationstillatlengththebomaorfenceofboughs，supportedbyearth，wassohighandthickthatwhileanywerelefttofirethroughtheloopholes，itwouldbeverydifficulttostormbymenarmedwithspears。
ItwasadreadfulandarduousdayforAlan，whonowhadBarbara’ssafetytothinkof，Barbarawithwhomasyethehadscarcelyfoundtimetoexchangeaword。Bysunsetindeedhewassowornoutwithtoilandanxietythathecouldscarcelystanduponhisfeet。Jeekie，whoallthatafternoonhadbeenstrangelyquietandreflective，surveyedhimcritically，thensaid:
“Youhavegooddrinkandgosleepabit，Major。VerygoodlittlesheltertherebyMissBarbara’stent，andyouholdherhandifyoulikeunderneaththecanvas，whichcomfortingandallcorrect。Jeekienevergettired，hekeepgoodlookoutandletyouknowifanythinghappen，andthenyoujumpupquitefreshandfightliketom-catincorner。“
AtfirstAlanrefusedtolisten，butwhenBarbaraaddedherentreatiestothoseofJeekiehegaveway，andtenminuteslaterwasassoundlyasleepashehadeverbeeninhislife。
“Keepeyeonhim，MissBarbara，andcallmeifhewake。NowIgogivenoblelordhissupperandseethathequitecomfortable。Jeekieseemverybusyto-night，justlikewhenMajorhavedinner-partyatYarleysandoldcookgetdrunkinkitchen。“
IfBarbaracouldhavefollowedJeekie’smovementsforthenextfewhours，shewouldprobablyhaveagreedthathewasbusy。FirsthewenttoAylward’stent，andashehadsaidhewould，gavehimhissupper，andwithithalfabottleofwhiskyfromthestoreswhichhehadbeencarryingaboutwithhimforsometime，ashesaid，topreventtheportersfromgettingatit。Aylwardwouldlittle，thoughashisarmsweretiedtothetent-pole，Jeekiesatbesidehimandfedhimlikeababy，conversingpleasantlywithhimallthewhile，informinghimamongstotherthingsthathehadbettersay“bigprayer，“becausetheAsikiwouldprobablycuthisthroatbeforemorning。
Aylward，whowasinastateofsullenfury，scarcelyrepliedtothistalk，excepttosaythatifso，therewasonecomfort，theywouldcuthisandhismaster’salso。
“Yes，myLord，“answeredJeekie，“thatquitetrue，sodrinktonextmeeting，thoughIthinkyougodifferentplacetome，andwhenyougottailandIwing，youhornandIcrownofglory，ofcoursewenottalkmuchtogether，“andheheldamugofwhiskyandwater——agreatdealofwhiskyandaverylittlewater——tohisprisoner’smouth。
Aylwarddrainedit，feelinganeedforstimulant。
“There，“saidJeekie，holdingitupsidedown，“youdrinkeverydropandnotofferonetopooroldJeekie。Well，heturnedteetotaller，sonomatter。Good-night，myLord，IcallyouifAsikicome。“
“WhoaretheAsiki？“askedAylwarddrowsily。
“Oh！youwanttoknow？Itellyou，“andhebeganalong，ramblingstory。
BeforeheevercametotheendofitAylwardhadfallenonhissideandwasfastasleep。
“Dearme！“saidJeekie，contemplatinghim，“thatwhiskyverystrong，thoughbottlesaysameastheydrinkinHouseofCommon。ThatwhiskysostrongIthinkIpourawayrestofit，“andhedidtothelastdrop，eventakingthetroubletowashoutthebottlewithwater。“Nowyounotemptanyone，“hesaid，addressingthesaidbottlewithaverypeculiarsmile，“orifyoutempt，atleastdonoharm——likekissdowntelephone！“Thenhelaiddownthebottleonitssideandleftthetent。
Outsideofitthreeoftheheadporters，whoappearedtobefriendsofhis，werewaitingforhim，andwiththesemenheengagedinlowandearnestconversation。Next，aftertheyhadarrivedatsomeagreement，whichtheyseemedtoratifybyacuriousoaththatinvolvedtheircrossingandclaspinghandsinanoddfashion，andothersymbolsknowntoWestAfricansecretsocieties，Jeekiewenttheroundofthecamptoseethateveryonewasathispost。Thenhedidwhatmostpeoplewouldhavethoughtaverycuriousandstrangething，namelyclimbedthefenceandvanishedintotheforest，wherepresentlyasoundwasheardasofanowlhooting。
Alittlewhilelaterandanotherowlbegantohootinthedistance，whereatthethreeheadportersnudgedeachother。Perhapstheyhadheardsuchowlshootbeforeatnight，andperhapstheyknewthatJeekie，whohad“passedBonsa，“couldonlybeharmedbythedirectcommandofBonsaspeakingthroughthemouthoftheAsikaherself。
Stilltheymighthavebeeninterestedinthenocturnalconversationofthosetwoowls，which，asiscommonwithsuchmagicalfowlinWestAfrica，hadtransformedthemselvesintohumanshapes，theshapeofJeekieandtheshapeofanAsikipriest，whowas，asithappened，abloodrelationofJeekie。
“Verygood，Brother，“saidOwlNo。1；“allyouwantisthiswhitemanwhomtheAsikadesiresforahusband。Well，Ihavedonemybestforhim，butImustthinkofmyselfandothers，andhegoestogreathappiness。Ihavegivenhimsomethingtomakehimsleep；doyoucomepresentlywitheightmen，nomore，orweshallkillyou，tothefenceofthecamp，andwewillhandoverthewhiteman，Vernoon，toyoutotakebacktotheAsika，whowillgiveyouawonderfulreward，sucharewardasyouhaveneverimagined。Nowletmehearyourword。“
ThenOwlNo。2answered:
“Brother，Imakethebargainonbehalfofthearmy，andsweartoitbythedoubleSwimmingHeadofBonsa。Wewillcomeandtakethewhiteman，Vernoon，whoistobeMungana，andcarryhimaway。Inreturnwepromisenottofollowormolestyou，oranyothersinyourcamp。
Indeed，whyshouldwe，whodonotdesiretobekilledbythedreadfulmagicthatyouhave，amagicthatmakesanoiseandpiercesthroughourbodiesfromafar？WhatwerethewordsoftheAsika？’BringbackVernoon，orperish。Icarefornothingelse，bringbackVernoontobemyhusband。’“
“Good，“saidOwlNo。1，“withinthehalfofanhourVernoonshallbereadyforyou。“
“Good，“answeredOwlNo。2，“withinhalfanhoureightofuswillbewithouttheeastfaceofyourcamptoreceivehim。“
“Silently？“
“Silently，mybrotherinBonsa。Ifhecriesoutwewillgaghim。Fearnot，noneshallknowyourpartinthismatter。“
“Good，mybrotherinBonsa。Bytheway，howisBigBonsa？Ifearthatthewhiteman，Vernoon，hurthimverymuch，andthatiswhyIgivehimup——becauseofhissacrilege。“
“WhenIleftthegodwasverysickandallthepeoplemourned，butdoubtlessheisimmortal。“
“Doubtlessheisimmortal，mybrother，alittlehardmagicinhisstomach——ifhehasone——cannothurt/him/。Farewell，dearbrotherinBonsa，IwishthatIwereyoutogetthegreatrewardthattheAsikawillgivetoyou。Farewell，farewell。“
Thenthetwoowlsflittedapartagain，hootingastheywent，tilltheycametotheirrespectivecamps。
JeekiewasinthetentperformingastrangetoiletuponthesleepingAylwardbythelightofasinglecandle。FromhispouchheproducedthemaskoflinenpaintedwithgoldthatAlanusedtobeforcedtowear，andtieditsecurelyoverAylward’sface，murmuring:
“Youalwayslovegold，myLordAylward，andJeekiepromiseyouseeplentyofitnow。“
Thenheproceededtoremovehiscoat，hiswaistcoat，hissocks，andhisbootsandtoreplacethesearticlesofEuropeanattirebyhisownwornAsikisandalsandhisowndirtyAsikirobe。
