"BONES"

 being

 Further Adventures in Mr. Commissioner Sanders' Country

 BY

 EDGAR WALLACE

 Author of "Sanders of the River, " etc. 

 WARD, LOCK & CO. , LIMITED LONDON AND MELBOURNE

 To

 Isabel Thorn

 WHO WAS LARGELY RESPONSIBLE

 FOR BRINGING SANDERS

 INTO BEING

 This Book is Dedicated

 CONTENTS

 CHAP. PAGE

 PROLOGUE--SANDERS, C. M. G 7

 I HAMILTON OF THE HOUSSAS 52

 II THE DISCIPLINARIANS 71

 III THE LOST N'BOSINI 88

 IV THE FETISH STICK 108

 V A FRONTIER AND A CODE 123

 VI THE SOUL OF THE NATIVE WOMAN 148

 VII THE STRANGER WHO WALKED BY NIGHT 164

 VIII A RIGHT OF WAY 180

 IX THE GREEN CROCODILE 193

 X HENRY HAMILTON BONES 209

 XI BONES AT M'FA 225

 XII THE MAN WHO DID NOT SLEEP 240

"BONES"

PROLOGUE

SANDERS--C. M. G. 

I

You will never know from the perusal of the Blue Book the trueinwardness of the happenings in the Ochori country in the spring of theyear of Wish. Nor all the facts associated with the disappearance of theRt. Hon. Joseph Blowter, Secretary of State for the Colonies. 

We know (though this is not in the Blue Books) that Bosambo calledtogether all his petty chiefs and his headmen, from one end of thecountry to the other, and assembled them squatting expectantly at thefoot of the little hillock, where sat Bosambo in his robes of office(unauthorized but no less magnificent), their upturned faces chargedwith pride and confidence, eloquent of the hold this sometime Liberianconvict had upon the wayward and fearful folk of the Ochori. 

Now no man may call a palaver of all small chiefs unless he notifies thegovernment of his intention, for the government is jealous ofself-appointed parliaments, for when men meet together in publicconference, however innocent may be its first cause, talk invariablydrifts to war, just as when they assemble and talk in private it driftswomanward. 

And since a million and odd square miles of territory may only begoverned by a handful of ragged soldiers so long as there is noconcerted action against authority, extemporized and spontaneouspalavers are severely discouraged. 

But Bosambo was too cheery and optimistic a man to doubt that his actionwould incur the censorship of his lord, and, moreover, he was so filledwith his own high plans and so warm and generous at heart at the thoughtof the benefits he might be conferring upon his patron that theillegality of the meeting did not occur to him, or if it occurred wasdismissed as too preposterous for consideration. 

And so there had come by the forest paths, by canoe, from fishingvillages, from far-off agricultural lands near by the great mountains, from timber cuttings in the lower forest, higher chiefs and littlechiefs, headmen and lesser headmen, till they made a respectable crowd, too vast for the comfort of the Ochori elders who must needs providethem with food and lodgings. 

"Noble chiefs of the Ochori, " began Bosambo, and Notiki nudged hisneighbour with a sharp elbow, for Notiki was an old man of forty-three, and thin. 

"Our lord desires us to give him something, " he said. 

He was a bitter man this Notiki, a relative of former chiefs of theOchori, and now no more than over-head of four villages. 

"Wa!" said his neighbour, with his shining face turned to Bosambo. 

Notiki grunted but said no more. 

"I have assembled you here, " said Bosambo, "because I love to see you, and because it is good that I should meet those who are in authorityunder me to administer the laws which the King my master has set foryour guidance. "

Word for word it was a paraphrase of an address which Sanders himselfhad delivered three months ago. His audience may have forgotten thefact, but Notiki at least recognized the plagiarism and said "Oh, ho!"under his breath and made a scornful noise. 

"Now I must go from you, " said Bosambo. 

There was a little chorus of dismay, but Notiki's voice did not swellthe volume. 

"The King has called me to the coast, and for the space of two moons Ishall be as dead to you, though my fetish will watch you and my spiritwill walk these streets every night with big ears to listen to eviltalk, and great big eyes to see the hearts of men. Yea, from this cityto the very end of my dominions over to Kalala. " His accusing eyes fixedNotiki, and the thin man wriggled uncomfortably. 

"This man is a devil, " he muttered under his breath, "he hears and seesall things. "

"And if you ask me why I go, " Bosambo went on, "I tell you this:swearing you all to secrecy that this word shall not go beyond yourhuts" (there were some two thousand people present to share themystery), "my lord Sandi has great need of me. For who of us is so wisethat he can look into the heart and understand the sorrow-call whichgoes from brother to brother and from blood to blood. I say no more savemy lord desires me, and since I am the King of the Ochori, a nationgreat amongst all nations, must I go down to the coast like a dog orlike the headman of a fisher-village?"

He paused dramatically, and there was a faint--a very faint--murmurwhich he might interpret as an expression of his people's wish that heshould travel in a state bordering upon magnificence. 

Faint indeed was that murmur, because there was a hint of taxation inthe business, a promise of levies to be extracted from an unwillingpeasantry; a suggestion of lazy men leaving the comfortable shade oftheir huts to hurry perspiring in the forest that gum and rubber andsimilar offerings should be laid at the complacent feet of theiroverlord. 

Bosambo heard the murmur and marked its horrid lack of heartiness andwas in no sense put out of countenance. 

"As you say, " said he approvingly, "it is proper that I should journeyto my lord and to the strange people beyond the coast--to the land whereeven slaves wear trousers--carrying with me most wonderful presents thatthe name of the Ochori shall be as thunder upon the waters and evengreat kings shall speak in pride of you, " he paused again. 

Now it was a dead silence which greeted his peroration. Notablyunenthusiastic was this gathering, twiddling its toes and blandlyavoiding his eye. Two moons before he had extracted something more thanhis tribute--a tribute which was the prerogative of government. 

Yet then, as Notiki said under his breath, or openly, or by innuendo asthe sentiment of his company demanded, four and twenty canoes laden withthe fruits of taxation had come to the Ochori city, and five only ofthose partly filled had paddled down to headquarters to carry the Ochoritribute to the overlord of the land. 

"I will bring back with me new things, " said Bosambo enticingly;"strange devil boxes, large magics which will entrance you, things thatno common man has seen, such as I and Sandi alone know in all this land. Go now, I tell thee, to your people in this country, telling them allthat I have spoken to you, and when the moon is in a certain quarterthey will come in joy bearing presents in both hands, and these ye shallbring to me. "

"But, lord!" it was the bold Notiki who stood in protest, "what shallhappen to such of us headmen who come without gifts in our hands foryour lordship, saying 'Our people are stubborn and will give nothing'?"

"Who knows?" was all the satisfaction he got from Bosambo, with theadditional significant hint, "I shall not blame you, knowing that it isnot because of your fault but because your people do not love you, andbecause they desire another chief over them. The palaver is finished. "

Finished it was, so far as Bosambo was concerned. He called a council ofhis headmen that night in his hut. 

Bosambo made his preparations at leisure. There was much to avoid beforehe took his temporary farewell of the tribe. Not the least to be countedamongst those things to be done was the extraction, to its uttermostpossibility, of the levy which he had quite improperly instituted. 

And of the things to avoid, none was more urgent or called for greaterthought than the necessity for so timing his movements that he did notcome upon Sanders or drift within the range of his visible and audibleinfluence. 

Here fortune may have been with Bosambo, but it is more likely that hehad carefully thought out every detail of his scheme. Sanders at themoment was collecting hut tax along the Kisai river and there was also, as Bosambo well knew, a murder trial of great complexity waiting for hisdecision at Ikan. A headman was suspected of murdering his chief wife, and the only evidence against him was that of the under wives to whomshe displayed much hauteur and arrogance. 

The people of the Ochori might be shocked at the exorbitant demandswhich their lord put upon them, but they were too wise to deny him hiswishes. There had been a time in the history of the Ochori when demandswere far heavier, and made with great insolence by a people who bore thereputation of being immensely fearful. It had come to be a by-word ofthe people when they discussed their lord with greater freedom than hecould have wished, the tyranny of Bosambo was better than the tyranny ofAkasava. 

Amongst the Ochori chiefs, greater and lesser, only one was conspicuousby his failure to carry proper offerings to his lord. When all the giftswere laid on sheets of native cloth in the great space before Bosambo'shut, Notiki's sheet was missing and with good reason as he sent his sonto explain. 

"Lord, " said this youth, lank and wild, "my father has collected for youmany beautiful things, such as gum and rubber and the teeth ofelephants. Now he would have brought these and laid them at your lovelyfeet, but the roads through the forest are very evil, and there havebeen floods in the northern country and he cannot pass the streams. Alsothe paths through the forest are thick and tangled and my father fearsfor his carriers. "

Bosambo looked at him, thoughtfully. 

"Go back to your father, N'gobi, " he said gently, "and tell him thatthough there come no presents from him to me, I, his master and chief, knowing he loves me, understand all things well. "

N'gobi brightened visibly. He had been ready to bolt, understandingsomething of Bosambo's dexterity with a stick and fearing that the chiefwould loose upon him the vengeance his father had called down upon hisown hoary head. 

"Of the evil roads I know, " said Bosambo; "now this you shall say toyour father: Bosambo the chief goes away from this city and upon a longjourney; for two moons he will be away doing the business of his cousinand friend Sandi. And when my lord Bim-bi has bitten once at the thirdmoon I will come back and I will visit your father. But because theroads are bad, " he went on, "and the floods come even in this dryseason, " he said significantly, "and the forest is so entangled that hecannot bring his presents, sending only the son of his wife to me, heshall make against my coming such a road as shall be in width, thedistance between the King's hut and the hut of the King's wife; and heshall clear from this road all there are of trees, and he shall bridgethe strong stream and dig pits for the floods. And to this end he shalltake every man of his kingdom and set them to labour, and as they workthey shall sing a song which goes:

 "We are doing Notiki's work, The work Notiki set us to do, Rather than send to the lord his King The presents which Bosambo demanded. 

"The palaver is finished. "

This is the history, or the beginning of the history, of the straightroad which cuts through the heart of the Ochori country from the edge ofthe river by the cataracts, even to the mountains of the great King, aroad famous throughout Africa and imperishably associated with Bosambo'sname--this by the way. 

On the first day following the tax palaver Bosambo went down the riverwith four canoes, each canoe painted beautifully with camwood and gum, and with twenty-four paddlers. 

It was by a fluke that he missed Sanders. As it happened, theCommissioner had come back to the big river to collect the evidence ofthe murdered woman's brother who was a petty headman of an Isisi fishingvillage. The _Zaire_ came into the river almost as the last of Bosambo'scanoes went round the bend out of sight, and since a legend existed onthe river, a legend for the inception of which Bosambo himself wasmainly responsible, that he was in some way related to Mr. CommissionerSanders, no man spoke of Bosambo's passing. 

The chief came to headquarters on the third day after his departure fromhis city. His subsequent movements are somewhat obscure, even toSanders, who has been at some pains to trace them. 

It is known that he drew a hundred and fifty pounds in English gold fromSanders' storekeeper--he had piled up a fairly extensive credit duringthe years of his office--that he embarked with one headman and his wifeon a coasting boat due for Sierra Leone, and that from that city came along-winded demand in Arabic by a ragged messenger for a furtherinstalment of one hundred pounds. Sanders heard the news on his returnto headquarters and was a little worried. 

"I wonder if the devil is going to desert his people?" he said. 

Hamilton the Houssa laughed. 

"He is more likely to desert his people than to desert a balance of fourhundred pounds which now stands to his credit here, " he said. "Bosambohas felt the call of civilization. I suppose he ought to have securedyour permission to leave his territory?"

"He has given his people work to keep them busy, " Sanders said a littlegravely. "I have had a passionate protest from Notiki, one of his chiefsin the north. Bosambo has set him to build a road through the forest, and Notiki objects. "

The two men were walking across the yellow parade ground past theHoussas hut in the direction of headquarters' bungalow. 

"What about your murderer?" asked Hamilton, after a while, as theymounted the broad wooden steps which led to the bungalow stoep. 

Sanders shook his head. 

"Everybody lied, " he said briefly. "I can do no less than send the manto the Village. I could have hung him on clear evidence, but the ladyseemed to have been rather unpopular and the murderer quite a person tobe commended in the eyes of the public. The devil of it is, " he said ashe sank into his big chair with a sigh, "that had I hanged him it wouldnot have been necessary to write three foolscap sheets of report. Idislike these domestic murderers intensely--give me a ravaging brigandwith the hands of all people against him. "

"You'll have one if you don't touch wood, " said Hamilton seriously. 

Hamilton came of Scottish stock--and the Scots are notorious prophets. 

II

Now the truth may be told of Bosambo, and all his movements may beexplained by this revelation of his benevolence. In the silence of hishut had he planned his schemes. In the dark aisles of the forests, understarless skies when his fellow-huntsmen lay deep in the sleep which theinnocent and the barbarian alone enjoy; in drowsy moments when he satdispensing justice, what time litigants had droned monotonously he hadperfected his scheme. 

Imagination is the first fruit of civilization and when the reverendfathers of the coast taught Bosambo certain magics, they were alsoimplanting in him the ability to picture possibilities, and shape fromhis knowledge of human affairs the eventual consequences of his actions. This is imagination somewhat elaborately and clumsily defined. 

To one person only had Bosambo unburdened himself of his schemes. 

In the privacy of his great hut he had sat with his wife, a steamingdish of fish between them, for however lax Bosambo might be, his wifewas an earnest follower of the Prophet and would tolerate no suchabomination as the flesh of the cloven-hoofed goat. 

He had told her many things. 

"Light of my heart, " said he, "our lord Sandi is my father and mymother, a giver of riches, and a plentiful provider of pence. Now itseems to me, that though he is a just man and great, having neither fearof his enemies nor soft words for his friends, yet the lords of his landwho live so very far away do him no honour. "

"Master, " said the woman quietly, "is it no honour that he should beplaced as a king over us?"

Bosambo beamed approvingly. 

"Thou hast spoken the truth, oh my beloved!" said he, in theextravagance of his admiration. "Yet I know much of the white folk, forI have lived along this coast from Dacca to Mossomedes. Also I havesailed to a far place called Madagascar, which is on the other side ofthe world, and I know the way of white folk. Even in Benguella there isa governor who is not so great as Sandi, and about his breast are allmanner of shining stars that glitter most beautifully in the sun, and hewears ribbons about him and bright coloured sashes and swords. " Hewagged his finger impressively. "Have I not said that he is not so greatas Sandi. When saw you my lord with stars or cross or sash or a sword?

"Also at Decca, where the Frenchi live. At certain places in the Togo, which is Allamandi, [1] I have seen men with this same style ofornaments, for thus it is that the white folk do honour to their kind. "

[Footnote 1: Allamandi--German territory. ]

He was silent a long time and his brown-eyed wife looked at himcuriously. 

"Yet what can you do, my lord?" she asked. "Although you are verypowerful, and Sandi loves you, this is certain, that none will listen to_you_ and do honour to Sandi at your word--though I do not know the waysof the white people, yet of this I am sure. "

Again Bosambo's large mouth stretched from ear to ear, and his two rowsof white teeth gleamed pleasantly. 

"You are as the voice of wisdom and the very soul of cleverness, " hesaid, "for you speak that which is true. Yet I know ways, for I am verycunning and wise, being a holy man and acquainted with blessed apostlessuch as Paul and the blessed Peter, who had his ear cut off because acertain dancing woman desired it. Also by magic it was put on againbecause he could not hear the cocks crow. All this and similar things Ihave here. " He touched his forehead. 

Wise woman that she was, she had made no attempt to pry into herhusband's business, but spent the days preparing for the journey, sheand the nut-brown sprawling child of immense girth, who was the appleof Bosambo's eye. 

So Bosambo had passed down the river as has been described, and fourdays after he left there disappeared from the Ochori village tenbrothers in blood of his, young hunting men who had faced all forms ofdeath for the very love of it, and these vanished from the land and noneknew where they went save that they did not follow on their master'strail. 

Tukili, the chief of the powerful eastern island Isisi, or, as it iscontemptuously called, the N'gombi-Isisi by the riverain folk, wenthunting one day, and ill fortune led him to the border of the Ochoricountry. Ill fortune was it for one Fimili, a straight maid of fourteen, beautiful by native standard, who was in the forest searching for rootswhich were notorious as a cure for "boils" which distressed herunamiable father. 

Tukili saw the girl and desired her, and that which Tukili desired hetook. She offered little opposition to being carried away to the Isisicity when she discovered that her life would be spared, and possibly wasno worse off in the harem of Tukili than she would have been in the hutof the poor fisherman for whom her father had designed her. A few yearsbefore, such an incident would have passed almost unnoticed. 

The Ochori were so used to being robbed of women and of goats, so meekin their acceptance of wrongs that would have set the spears of anyother nation shining, that they would have accepted the degradation andpreserved a sense of thankfulness that the robber had limited hisraiding to one girl, and that a maid. But with the coming of Bosambothere had arrived a new spirit in the Ochori. They had learnt theirstrength, incidentally they had learnt their rights. The father of thegirl went hot-foot to his over-chief, Notiki, and covered himself withashes at the door of the chief's hut. 

"This is a bad palaver, " said Notiki, "and since Bosambo has deserted usand is making our marrows like water that we should build him a road, and there is none in this land whom I may call chief or who may speakwith authority, it seems by my age and by relationship to the kings ofthis land, I must do that which is desirable. "

So he gathered together two thousand men who were working on the roadand were very pleased indeed to carry something lighter than rocks andfelled trees, and with these spears he marched into the Isisi forest, burning and slaying whenever he came upon a little village which offeredno opposition. Thus he took to himself the air and title of conquerorwith as little excuse as a flamboyant general ever had. 

Had it occurred on the river, this warlike expedition must haveattracted the attention of Sanders. The natural roadway of the territoryis a waterway. It is only when operations are begun against the internaltribes who inhabit the bush, and whose armies can move under the cloakof the forest (and none wiser) that Sanders found himself at adisadvantage. 

Tukili himself heard nothing of the army that was being led against himuntil it was within a day's march of his gates. Then he sallied forthwith a force skilled in warfare and practised in the hunt. The combatlasted exactly ten minutes and all that was left of Notiki's spears madethe best of their way homeward, avoiding, as far as possible, thosevillages which they had visited en route with such disastrous results tothe unfortunate inhabitants. 

Now it is impossible that one conqueror shall be sunk to oblivionwithout his victor claiming for himself the style of his victim. Tukilihad defeated his adversary, and Tukili was no exception to the generalrule, and from being a fairly well-disposed king, amiable--too amiableas we have shown--and kindly, and just, he became of a sudden a menaceto all that part of Sanders' territory which lies between the Frenchland and the river. 

It was such a situation as this as only Bosambo might deal with, andSanders heartily cursed his absent chief and might have cursed him withgreater fervour had he had an inkling of the mission to which Bosambohad appointed himself. 

III

His Excellency the Administrator of the period had his office at aprosperous city of stone which we will call Koombooli, though that isnot its name. 

He was a stout, florid man, patient and knowledgeable. He had been sentto clear up the mess which two incompetent administrators made, who hadowed their position rather to the constant appearance of their friendsand patrons in the division lobbies than to their acquaintance with thenative mind, and it is eloquent of the regard in which His Excellencywas held that, although he was a Knight Commander of St. Michael and St. George, a Companion of a Victorian Order, a Commander of the Bath, andthe son of a noble house, he was known familiarly along the coast to alladministrators, commissioners, even to the deputy inspectors, as "Bob. "

Bosambo came to the presence with an inward quaking. In a sense he hadabsconded from his trust, and he did not doubt that Sanders had made allmen acquainted with the suddenness and the suspicious character of hisdisappearance. 

And the first words of His Excellency the Administrator confirmed allBosambo's worst fears. 

"O! chief, " said Sir Robert with a little twinkle in his eye, "are youso fearful of your people that you run away from them?"

"Mighty master, " answered Bosambo, humbly, "I do not know fear, for asyour honour may have heard, I am a very brave man, fearing nothing savemy lord Sanders' displeasure. "

A ghost of a smile played about the corners of Sir Robert's mouth. 

"That you have earned, my friend, " said he. "Now you shall tell me whyyou came away secretly, also why you desired this palaver with me. Anddo not lie, Bosambo, " he said, "for I am he who hung three chiefs onGallows Hill above Grand Bassam because they spoke falsely. "

This was one of the fictions which was current on the coast, and wasimplicitly believed in by the native population. The truth will berecounted at another time, but it is sufficient to say that Bosambo wasone of those who did not doubt the authenticity of the legend. 

"Now I will speak to you, O my lord, " he said earnestly, "and I speak byall oaths, both the oaths of my own people----"

"Spare me the oaths of the Kroo folk, " protested Sir Robert, and raiseda warning hand. 

"Then by Markie and Lukie will I swear, " said Bosambo, fervently; "thosefine fellows of whom Your Excellency knows. I have sat long in thecountry of the Ochori, and I have ruled wisely according to myabilities. And over me at all times was Sandi, who was a father to hispeople and so beautiful of mind and countenance that when he came to useven the dead folk would rise up to speak to him. This is a miracle, "said Bosambo profoundly but cautiously, "which I have heard but which Ihave not seen. Now this I ask you who see all things, and here is thepuzzle which I will set to your honour. If Sandi is so great and sowise, and is so loved by the greater King, how comes it that he staysfor ever in one place, having no beautiful stars about his neck norwonderful ribbons around his stomach such as the great Frenchiman--andthe great Allamandi men, and even the Portuguesi men wear who arehonoured by their kings?"

It was a staggering question, and Sir Robert Sanleigh sat up and staredat the solemn face of the man before him. 

Bosambo, an unromantic figure in trousers, jacket, and shirt--he wascollarless--had thrust his hands deeply into unaccustomed pockets, ignorant of the disrespect which such an attitude displayed, and wasstaring back at the Administrator. 

"O! chief, " asked the puzzled Sir Robert, "this is a strange palaver youmake--who gave you these ideas?"

"Lord, none gave me this idea save my own bright mind, " said Bosambo. "Yes, many nights have I laid thinking of these things for I am just andI have faith. "

His Excellency kept his unwavering eye upon the other. He had heard ofBosambo, knew him as an original, and at this moment was satisfied inhis own mind of the other's sincerity. 

A smaller man than he, his predecessor for example, might have dismissedthe preposterous question as an impertinence and given the questionershort shrift. But Sir Robert understood his native. 

"These are things too high for me, Bosambo, " he said. "What dog am Ithat I should question the mind of my lords? In their wisdom they givehonour and they punish. It is written. "

Bosambo nodded. 

"Yet, lord, " he persisted, "my own cousin who sweeps your lordship'sstables told me this morning that on the days of big palavers you alsohave stars and beautiful things upon your breast, and noble ribbonsabout your lordship's stomach. Now your honour shall tell me by whosefavour these things come about. "

Sir Robert chuckled. 

"Bosambo, " he said solemnly, "they gave these things to me because I aman old man. Now when your lord Sandi becomes old these honours also willhe receive. "

He saw Bosambo's face fall and went on:

"Also much may happen that will bring Sandi to their lordships' eyes, they who sit above us. Some great deed that he may do, some high servicehe may offer to his king. All these happenings bring nobility andhonour. Now, " he went on kindly, "go back to your people, rememberingthat I shall think of you and of Sandi, and that I shall know that youcame because of your love for him, and that on a day which is written Iwill send a book to my masters speaking well of Sandi, for his sake andfor the sake of the people who love him. The palaver is finished. "

Bosambo went out of the Presence a dissatisfied man, passed through thehall where a dozen commissioners and petty chiefs were waiting audience, skirted the great white building and came in time to his own cousin, who swept the stables of His Excellency the Administrator. And here, inthe coolness of the stone-walled mews, he learnt much about theAdministrator; little tit-bits of information which were unlikely to bepublished in the official gazette. Also he acquired a considerableamount of data concerning the giving of honours, and after a longexamination and cross-examination of his wearied relative he left him asdry as a sucked orange, but happy in the possession of a newfive-shilling piece which Bosambo had magnificently pressed upon him, and which subsequently proved to be bad. 

IV

By the River of Spirits is a deep forest which stretches back and backin a dense and chaotic tangle of strangled sapling and parasitic weed tothe edge of the Pigmy forest. No man--white or brown or black--hasexplored the depth of the Forbidden Forest, for here the wild beastshave their lairs and rear their young; and here are mosquito in denseclouds. Moreover, and this is important, a certain potent ghost namedBim-bi stalks restlessly from one border of the forest to the other. Bim-bi is older than the sun and more terrible than any other ghost. Forhe feeds on the moon, and at nights you may see how the edge of thedesert world is bitten by his great mouth until it becomes, first, thehalf of a moon, then the merest slither, and then no moon at all. And onthe very dark nights, when the gods are hastily making him a new meal, the ravenous Bim-bi calls to his need the stars; and you may watch, asevery little boy of the Akasava has watched, clutching his father's handtightly in his fear, the hot rush of meteors across the velvet sky tothe rapacious and open jaws of Bim-bi. 

He was a ghost respected by all peoples--Akasava, Ochori, Isisi, N'gombi, and Bush folk. By the Bolengi, the Bomongo, and even thedistant Upper Congo people feared him. Also all the chiefs forgenerations upon generations had sent tribute of corn and salt to theedge of the forest for his propitiation, and it is a legend that whenthe Isisi fought the Akasava in the great war, the envoy of the Isisiwas admitted without molestation to the enemy's lines in order to lay anoffering at Bim-bi's feet. Only one man in the world, so far as thePeople of the River know, has ever spoken slightingly of Bim-bi, andthat man was Bosambo of the Ochori, who had no respect for any ghostssave of his own creation. 

It is the custom on the Akasava district to hold a ghost palaver towhich the learned men of all tribes are invited, and the palaver takesplace in the village of Ookos by the edge of the forest. 

On a certain day in the year of the floods and when Bosambo was gone amonth from his land, there came messengers chance-found and walking interror to all the principal cities and villages of the Akasava, of theIsisi, and of the N'gombi-Isisi carrying this message:

 "Mimbimi, son of Simbo Sako, son of Ogi, has opened his house to his friends on the night when Bim-bi has swallowed the moon. "

A summons to such a palaver in the second name of Bim-bi was not onelikely to be ignored, but a summons from Mimbimi was at least to bewondered at and to be speculated upon, for Mimbimi was an unknownquantity, though some gossips professed to know him as the chief of oneof the Nomadic tribes which ranged the heart of the forest, preying onAkasava and Isisi with equal discrimination. But these gossips were of amind not peculiar to any nationality or to any colour. They were thosejealous souls who either could not or would not confess that they wereignorant on the topic of the moment. 

Be he robber chief, or established by law and government, this much wascertain. Mimbimi had called for his secret palaver and the most nobleand arrogant of chiefs must obey, even though the obedience speltdisaster for the daring man who had summoned them to conference. 

Tuligini, a victorious captain, not lightly to be summoned, might haveignored the invitation, but for the seriousness of his eldermen, who, versed in the conventions of Bim-bi and those who invoked his name, stood aghast at the mere suggestion that this palaver should beignored. Tuligini demanded, and with reason:

"Who was this who dare call the vanquisher of Bosambo to a palaver? foram I not the great buffalo of the forest? and do not all men bow down tome in fear?"

"Lord, you speak the truth, " said his trembling councillor, "yet this isa ghost palaver and all manner of evils come to those who do not obey. "

Sanders, through his spies, heard of the summons in the name of Bim-bi, and was a little troubled. There was nothing too small to be serious inthe land over which he ruled. 

As for instance: Some doubt existed in the Lesser N'gombi country as towhether teeth filed to a point were more becoming than teeth left asNature placed them. Tombini, the chief of N'gombi, held the view thatNature's way was best, whilst B'limbini, his cousin, was the chiefexponent of the sharpened form. 

It took two battalions of King Coast Rifles, half a battery of artilleryand Sanders to settle the question, which became a national one. 

"I wish Bosambo were to the devil before he left his country, " saidSanders, irritably. "I should feel safe if that oily villain was sittingin the Ochori. "

"What is the trouble?" asked Hamilton, looking up from his task--he wasmaking cigarettes with a new machine which somebody had sent him fromhome. 

"An infernal Bim-bi palaver, " said Sanders; "the last time thathappened, if I remember rightly, I had to burn crops on the right bankof the river for twenty miles to bring the Isisi to a sense of theirunimportance. "

"You will be able to burn crops on the left side this time, " saidHamilton, cheerfully, his nimble fingers twiddling the silver rollers ofhis machine. 

"I thought I had the country quiet, " said Sanders, a little bitterly, "and at this moment I especially wanted it so. "

"Why at this particular moment?" asked the other in surprise. 

Sanders took out of the breast pocket of his uniform jacket a foldedpaper, and passed it across the table. 

Hamilton read:

 "SIR, --I have the honour to inform you that the Rt. Hon. Mr. James Bolzer, his Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies, is expected to arrive at your station on the thirtieth inst. I trust you will give the Right Honourable gentleman every facility for studying on the spot the problems upon which he is such an authority. I have to request you to instruct all Sub-Commissioners, Inspectors, and Officers commanding troops in your division to make adequate arrangements for Mr. Bolzer's comfort and protection. 

 "I have the honour to be, etc. "

Hamilton read the letter twice. 

"To study on the spot those questions upon which he is such anauthority, " he repeated. He was a sarcastic devil when he liked. 

"The thirtieth is to-morrow, " Hamilton went on, "and I suppose I am oneof the officers commanding troops who must school my ribald soldiery inthe art of protecting the Rt. Hon. Gent. "

"To be exact, " said Sanders, "you are the only officer commanding troopsin the territory; do what you can. You wouldn't believe it, " he smiled alittle shamefacedly, "I had applied for six months' leave when thiscame. "

"Good Lord!" said Hamilton, for somehow he never associated Sanders withholidays. 

What Hamilton did was very simple, because Hamilton always did things inthe manner which gave him the least trouble. A word to his orderlyconveyed across the parade ground, roused the sleepy bugler of theguard, and the air was filled with the "Assembly. " Sixty men of theHoussas paraded in anticipation of a sudden call northwards. 

"My children, " said Hamilton, whiffling his pliant cane, "soon therewill come here a member of government who knows nothing. Also he maystray into the forest and lose himself as the bride-groom's cow straysfrom the field of his father-in-law, not knowing his new surroundings. Now it is to you we look for his safety--I and the government. AlsoSandi, our lord. You shall not let this stranger out of your sight, norshall you allow approach him any such evil men as the N'gombi ironsellers or the fishing men of N'gar or makers of wooden charms, for thegovernment has said this man must not be robbed, but must be treatedwell, and you of the guard shall all salute him, also, when the timearrives. "

Hamilton meant no disrespect in his graphic illustration. He was dealingwith a simple people who required vivid word-pictures to convince them. And certainly they found nothing undignified in the right honourablegentleman when he arrived next morning. 

He was above the medium height, somewhat stout, very neat and orderly, and he twirled a waxed moustache, turning grey. He had heavy and biliouseyes, and a certain pompousness of manner distinguished him. Also aneffervescent geniality which found expression in shaking hands withanybody who happened to be handy, in mechanically agreeing with allviews that were put before him and immediately afterwards contradictingthem; in a painful desire to be regarded as popular. In fact, in all thethings which got immediately upon Sanders' nerves, this man was a sealedpattern of a bore. 

He wanted to know things, but the things he wanted to know were of noimportance, and the information he extracted could not be of anyassistance to him. His mind was largely occupied in such vital problemsas what happened to the brooms which the Houssas used to keep theirquarters clean when they were worn out, and what would be the effect ofan increased ration of lime juice upon the morals and discipline of thetroops under Hamilton's command. Had he been less of a trial Sanderswould not have allowed him to go into the interior without a strongerprotest. As it was, Sanders had turned out of his own bedroom, and hadput all his slender resources at the disposal of the Cabinet Minister(taking his holiday, by the way, during the long recess), and hadwearied himself in order to reach some subject of interest where he andhis guest could meet on common ground. 

"I shall have to let him go, " he said to Hamilton, when the two had metone night after Mr. Blowter had retired to bed, "I spent the whole ofthis afternoon discussing the comparative values of mosquito nets, andhe is such a perfect ass that you cannot snub him. If he had only hadthe sense to bring a secretary or two he would have been easier tohandle. "

Hamilton laughed. 

"When a man like that travels, " he said, "he ought to bring somebody whoknows the ways and habits of the animal. I had a bright morning with himgoing into the question of boots. "

"But what of Mimbimi?"

"Mimbimi is rather a worry to me. I do not know him at all, " saidSanders with a puzzled frown. "Ahmet, the spy, has seen one of thechiefs who attended the palaver, which apparently was very impressive. Up to now nothing has happened which would justify a movement againsthim; the man is possibly from the French Congo. "

"Any news of Bosambo?" asked Hamilton. 

Sanders shook his head. 

"So far as I can learn, " he said grimly, "he has gone on _Cape CoastCastle_ for a real aboriginal jag. There will be trouble for Bosambowhen he comes back. "

"What a blessing it would be now, " sighed Hamilton, "if we could turnold man Blowter into his tender keeping. " And the men laughedsimultaneously. 

V

There was a time, years and years ago, when the Ochori people set agreat stake on the edge of the forest by the Mountain. This they smearedwith a paint made by the admixture of camwood and copal gum. 

It was one of the few intelligent acts which may be credited to theOchori in those dull days, for the stake stood for danger. It marked theboundary of the N'gombi lands beyond which it was undesirable that anyman of the Ochori should go. 

It was not erected without consideration. A palaver which lasted fromthe full of one moon to the waning of the next, sacrifices of goats andsprinkling of blood, divinations, incantations, readings of devil markson sandy foreshores; all right and proper ceremonies were gone throughbefore there came a night of bright moonlight when the whole Ochorination went forth and planted that post. 

Then, I believe, the people of the Ochori, having invested the postwith qualities which it did not possess, went back to their homes andforgot all about it. Yet if they forgot there were nations who regardedthe devil sign with some awe, and certainly Mimbimi, the newly-arisenranger of the forest, who harried the Akasava and the Isisi, and eventhe N'gombi-Isisi, must have had full faith in its potency, for he nevermoved beyond that border. Once, so legend said, he brought his terriblewarriors to the very edge of the land and paid homage to the innocentsign-post which Sanders had set up and which announced no more, in plainEnglish, than trespassers will be prosecuted. Having done his _devoir_he retired to his forest lair. His operations were not to go without anattempted reprisal. Many parties went out against him, notably thatwhich Tumbilimi the chief of Isisi led. He took a hundred picked men toavenge the outrage which this intruder had put upon him in daring tosummons him to palaver. 

Now Sugini was an arrogant man, for had he not routed the army ofBosambo? That Bosambo was not in command made no difference and did nottarnish the prestige in Tumbilimi's eyes, and though the raids upon histerritory by Mimbimi had been mild, the truculent chief, disdaining theuse of his full army, marched with his select column to bring in thehead and the feet of the man who had dared violate his territory. 

Exactly what happened to Tumbilimi's party is not known; all the men whoescaped from the ambush in which Mimbimi lay give a different account, and each account creditable to themselves, though the only thing whichstands in their favour is that they did certainly save their lives. Certainly Tumbilimi, he of the conquering spears, came back no more, andthose parts which he had threatened to detach from his enemy were infact detached from him and were discovered one morning at the very gatesof his city for his horrified subjects to marvel at. When warlikediscussions arose, as they did at infrequent intervals, it was thepractice of the people to send complaints to Sanders and leave him todeal with the matter. You cannot, however, lead an army against a dozenguerrilla chiefs with any profit to the army as we once discovered in acountry somewhat south of Sanders' domains. Had Mimbimi's sphere ofoperations been confined to the river Sanders would have laid him by theheels quickly enough, because the river brigand is easy to catch sincehe would starve in the forest, and if he took to the bush wouldcertainly come back to the gleaming water for very life. 

But here was a forest man obviously, who needed no river for himself, but was content to wait watchfully in the dim recesses of the woods. 

Sanders sent three spies to locate him, and gave his attention to themore immediate problem of his Right Honourable guest. Mr. Joseph Blowterhad decided to make a trip into the interior and the _Zaire_ had beenplaced at his disposal. A heaven-sent riot in the bushland, sixty mileswest of the Residency, had relieved both Sanders and Hamilton from thenecessity of accompanying the visitor, and he departed by steamer with abodyguard of twenty armed Houssas; more than sufficient in thesepeaceful times. 

"What about Mimbimi?" asked Hamilton under his breath as they stood on alittle concrete quay, and watched the _Zaire_ beating out to midstream. 

"Mimbimi is evidently a bushman, " said Sanders briefly. "He will notcome to the river. Besides, he is giving the Ochori a wide berth, and itis to the Ochori that our friend is going. I cannot see how he canpossibly dump himself into mischief. "

Nevertheless, as a matter of precaution, Sanders telegraphed to theAdministration not only the departure, but the precautions he had takenfor the safety of the Minister, and the fact that neither he norHamilton were accompanying him on his tour of inspection "to study onthe spot those problems with which he was so well acquainted. "

"O. K. " flashed Bob across the wires, and that was sufficient forSanders. Of Mr. Blowter's adventures it is unnecessary to tell indetail. How he mistook every village for a city, and every city for anation, of how he landed wherever he could and spoke long and eloquentlyon the blessing of civilization, and the glories of the Britishflag--all this through an interpreter--of how he went into the questionof basket-making and fly-fishing, and of how he demonstrated to thefishermen of the little river a method of catching fish by fly, and howhe did not catch anything. All these matters might be told in greatdetail with no particular credit to the subject of the monograph. 

In course of time he came to the Ochori land and was welcomed by Notiki, who had taken upon himself, on the strength of his rout, the position ofchieftainship. This he did with one eye on the river, ready to bolt themoment Bosambo's canoe came sweeping round the bend. 

Now Sanders had particularly warned Mr. Blowter that under nocircumstances should he sleep ashore. He gave a variety of reasons, suchas the prevalence of Beri-Beri, the insidious spread of sleepingsickness, the irritation of malaria-bearing mosquitoes, and of otherinsects which it would be impolite to mention in the pages of a familyjournal. 

But Notiki had built a new hut as he said especially for his guest, andMr. Blowter, no doubt, honoured by the attention which was shown to him, broke the restricting rule that Sanders had laid down, quitted thecomfortable cabin which had been his home on the river journey, andslept in the novel surroundings of a native hut. 

How long he slept cannot be told; he was awakened by a tight handgrasping his throat, and a fierce voice whispering into his earsomething which he rightly understood to be an admonition, a warning anda threat. 

At any rate, he interpreted it as a request on the part of his captorthat he should remain silent, and to this Mr. Blowter in a blue funkpassively agreed. Three men caught him and bound him deftly with nativerope, a gag was put into his mouth, and he was dragged cautiouslythrough a hole which the intruders had cut in the walls of Notiki'sdwelling of honour. Outside the hut door was a Houssa sentry and it mustbe confessed that he was not awake at the moment of Mr. Blowter'sdeparture. 

His captors spirited him by back ways to the river, dumped him into acanoe and paddled with frantic haste to the other shore. 

They grounded their canoe, pulled him--inwardly quaking--to land, andhurried him to the forest. On their way they met a huntsman who had beenout overnight after a leopard, and in the dark of the dawn the chief ofthose who had captured Mr. Blowter addressed the startled man. 

"Go you to the city of Ochori, " he said, "and say 'Mimbimi, the highchief who is lord of the forest of Bim-bi, sends word that he has takenthe fat white lord to his keeping, and he shall hold him for hispleasure. '"

VI

It would appear from all the correspondence which was subsequentlypublished that Sanders had particularly warned Mr. Blowter againstvisiting the interior, that Sir Robert, that amiable man, had alsoexpressed a warning, and that the august Government itself had sent along and expensive telegram from Downing Street suggesting that a tripto the Ochori country was inadvisable in the present state of publicfeeling. 

The hasty disposition on the part of certain Journals to blame Mr. Commissioner Sanders and his immediate superior for the kidnapping of soimportant a person as a Cabinet Minister was obviously founded upon anignorance of the circumstances. 

Yet Sanders felt himself at fault, as a conscientious man always will, if he has had the power to prevent a certain happening. 

Those loyal little servants of Government, carrier pigeons--wentfluttering east, south and north, a missionary steamer was hastilyrequisitioned, and Sanders embarked for the scene of the disappearance. 

Before he left he telegraphed to every likely coast town for Bosambo. 

"If that peregrinating devil had not left his country this would nothave happened, " said Sanders irritably; "he must come back and help mefind the lost one. "

Before any answer could come to his telegrams he had embarked, and it isperhaps as well that he did not wait, since none of the replies wereparticularly satisfactory. Bosambo was evidently un-get-at-able, and themost alarming rumour of all was that which came from Sierra Leone andwas to the effect that Bosambo had embarked for England with theexpressed intention of seeking an interview with a very high personageindeed. 

Now it is the fact that had Sanders died in the execution of his duty, died either from fever or as the result of scientific torturing at thehands of Akasava braves, less than a couple of lines in the London Presswould have paid tribute to the work he had done or the terrible mannerof his passing. 

But a Cabinet Minister, captured by a cannibal tribe, offers in additionto alliterative possibilities in the headline department, a certainnovelty particularly appealing to the English reader who loves above allthings to have a shock or two with his breakfast bacon. England wasshocked to its depths by the unusual accident which had occurred to theRight Honourable gentleman, partly because it is unusual for CabinetMinisters to find themselves in a cannibal's hands, and partly becauseMr. Blowter himself occupied a very large place in the eye of the publicat home. For the first time in its history the eyes of the world wereconcentrated on Sanders' territory, and the Press of the world devotedimportant columns to dealing not only with the personality of the manwho had been stolen, because they knew him well, but more or lessinaccurately with the man who was charged with his recovery. 

They also spoke of Bosambo "now on his way to England, " and it is a factthat a small fleet of motor-boats containing pressmen awaited theincoming coast mail at Plymouth only to discover that their man was noton board. 

Happily, Sanders was in total ignorance of the stir which thedisappearance created. He knew, of course, that there would be talkabout it, and had gloomy visions of long reports to be written. He wouldhave felt happier in his mind if he could have identified Mimbimi withany of the wandering chiefs he had met or had known from time to time. Mimbimi was literally a devil he did not know. 

Nor could any of the cities or villages which had received a visitationgive the Commissioner more definite data than he possessed. Some therewere who said that Mimbimi was a tall man, very thin, knobbly at theknees, and was wounded in the foot, so that he limped. Others that hewas short and very ugly, with a large head and small eyes, and that whenhe spoke it was in a voice of thunder. 

Sanders wasted no time in useless inquiries. He threw a cloud of spiesand trackers into the forest of Bim-bi and began a scientific search;snatching a few hours sleep whenever the opportunity offered. But thoughthe wings of his beaters touched the border line of the Ochori on theright and the Isisi on the left, and though he passed through placeswhich hitherto had been regarded as impenetrable on account of diversdevils, yet he found no trace of the cunning kidnapper, who, if thetruth be told, had broken through the lines in the night, dragging anunwilling and exasperated member of the British Government at the endof a rope fastened about his person. 

Then messages began to reach Sanders, long telegrams sent up fromheadquarters by swift canoe or rewritten on paper as fine as cigarettepaper and sent in sections attached to the legs of pigeons. 

They were irritating, hectoring, worrying, frantic messages. Not onlyfrom the Government, but from the kidnapped man's friends and relatives;for it seemed that this man had accumulated, in addition to a great dealof unnecessary information, quite a large and respectable family circle. Hamilton came up with a reinforcement of Houssas without achieving anynotable result. 

"He has disappeared as if the ground had opened and swallowed him, " saidSanders bitterly. "O! Mimbimi, if I could have you now, " he said withpassionate intensity. 

"I am sure you would be very rude to him, " said Hamilton soothingly. "Hemust be somewhere, my dear chap; do you think he has killed the poor oldbird?"

Sanders shook his head. 

"The lord knows what he has done or what has happened to him, " he said. 

It was at that moment that the messenger came. The _Zaire_ was tied tothe bank of the Upper Isisi on the edge of the forest of Bim-bi, and theHoussas were bivouacked on the bank, their red fires gleaming in thegathering darkness. 

The messenger came from the forest boldly; he showed no fear of Houssas, but walked through their lines, waving his long stick as a bandmasterwill flourish his staff. And when the sentry on the plank that led tothe boat had recovered from the shock of seeing the unexpectedapparition, the man was seized and led before the Commissioner. 

"O, man, " said Sanders, "who are you and where do you come from? Tell mewhat news you bring. "

"Lord, " said the man glibly, "I am Mimbimi's own headman. "

Sanders jumped up from his chair. 

"Mimbimi!" he said quickly; "tell me what message you bring from thatthief!"

"Lord, " said the man, "he is no thief, but a high prince. "

Sanders was peering at him searchingly. 

"It seems to me, " he said, "that you are of the Ochori. "

"Lord, I was of the Ochori, " said the messenger, "but now I am withMimbimi, --his headman, following him through all manners of danger. Therefore I have no people or nation--wa! Lord, here is my message. "

Sanders nodded. 

"Go on, " he said, "messenger of Mimbimi, and let your news be good forme. "

"Master, " said the man, "I come from the great one of the forest whoholds all lives in his two hands, and fears not anything that lives ormoves, neither devil nor Bim-bi nor the ghosts that walk by night northe high dragons in the trees----"

"Get to your message, my man, " said Sanders, unpleasantly; "for I have awhip which bites sharper than the dragons in the trees and moves moreswiftly than m'shamba. "

The man nodded. 

"Thus says Mimbimi, " he resumed. "Go you to the place near the CrocodileRiver where Sandi sits, say Mimbimi the chief loves him, and because ofhis love Mimbimi will do a great thing. Also he said, " the man went on, "and this is the greatest message of all. Before I speak further youmust make a book of my words. "

Sanders frowned. It was an unusual request from a native, for his offerto be set down in writing. "You might take a note of this, Hamilton, " hesaid aside, "though why the deuce he wants a note of this made I cannotfor the life of me imagine. Go on, messenger, " he said more mildly; "foras you see my lord Hamilton makes a book. "

"Thus says my lord Mimbimi, " resumed the man, "that because of his lovefor Sandi he would give you the fat white lord whom he has taken, askingfor no rods or salt in repayment, but doing this because of his love forSandi and also because he is a just and a noble man; therefore do Ideliver the fat one into your hands. "

Sanders gasped. 

"Do you speak the truth?" he asked incredulously. 

The man nodded his head. 

"Where is the fat lord?" asked Sanders. This was no time for ceremony orfor polite euphemistic descriptions even of Cabinet Ministers. 

"Master, he is in the forest, less than the length of the village fromhere, I have tied him to a tree. "

Sanders raced across the plank and through the Houssa lines, draggingthe messenger by the arm, and Hamilton, with a hastily summoned guard, followed. They found Joseph Blowter tied scientifically to a gum-tree, awedge of wood in his mouth to prevent him speaking, and he was aterribly unhappy man. Hastily the bonds were loosed, and the gagremoved, and the groaning Cabinet Minister led, half carried to the_Zaire_. 

He recovered sufficiently to take dinner that night, was full of hisadventures, inclined perhaps to exaggerate his peril, pardonablyexasperated against the man who had led him through so many dangers, real and imaginary. But, above all things, he was grateful to Sanders. 

He acknowledged that he had got into his trouble through no fault of theCommissioner. 

"I cannot tell you how sorry I am all this has occurred, " said Sanders. 

It was after dinner, and Mr. Blowter in a spotless white suit--shaved, looking a little more healthy from his enforced exercise, and certainlyconsiderably thinner, was in the mood to take an amused view of hisexperience. 

"One thing I have learnt, Mr. Sanders, " he said, "and that is theextraordinary respect in which you are held in this country. I neverspoke of you to this infernal rascal but that he bowed low, and all hisfollowers with him; why, they almost worship you!"

If Mr. Blowter had been surprised by this experience no less surprisedwas Sanders to learn of it. 

"This is news to me, " he said dryly. 

"That is your modesty, my friend, " said the Cabinet Minister with abenign smile. "I, at any rate, appreciate the fact that but for yourpopularity I should have had short shrift from this murderousblackguard. "

He went down stream the next morning, the _Zaire_ overcrowded withHoussas. 

"I should have liked to have left a party in the forest, " said Sanders;"I shall not rest until we get this thief Mimbimi by the ear. "

"I should not bother, " said Hamilton dryly; "the sobering influence ofyour name seems to be almost as potent as my Houssas. "

"Please do not be sarcastic, " said Sanders sharply, he was undulysensitive on the question of such matters as these. Nevertheless, he washappy at the end of the adventure, though somewhat embarrassed by thetelegrams of congratulation which were poured upon him not only from theAdministrator but from England. 

"If I had done anything to deserve it I would not mind, " he said. 

"That is the beauty of reward, " smiled Hamilton; "if you deserve thingsyou do not get them, if you do not deserve them they come in cartloads, you have to take the thick with the thin. Think of the telegrams whichought to have come and did not. "

They took farewell of Mr. Blowter on the beach, the surf-boat waiting tocarry him to a mail steamer decorated for the occasion with strings offlags. 

"There is one question which I would like to ask you, " said Sanders, "and it is one which for some reason I have forgotten to ask before--canyou describe Mimbimi to me so that I may locate him? He is quite unknownto us. "

Mr. Blowter frowned thoughtfully. 

"He is difficult to describe! all natives are alike to me, " he saidslowly. "He is rather tall, well-made, good-looking for a native, andtalkative. "

"Talkative!" said Sanders quickly. 

"In a way; he can speak a little English, " said the Cabinet Minister, "and evidently has some sort of religious training, because he spoke ofMark, and Luke, and the various Apostles as one who had studied possiblyat a missionary school. "

"Mark and Luke, " almost whispered Sanders, a great light dawning uponhim. "Thank you very much. I think you said he always bowed when my namewas mentioned?"

"Invariably, " smiled the Cabinet Minister. 

"Thank you, sir. " Sanders shook hands. 

"O! by the way, Mr. Sanders, " said Blowter, turning back from the boat, "I suppose you know that you have been gazetted C. M. G. ?"

Sanders flushed red and stammered "C. M. G. "

"It is an indifferent honour for one who has rendered such service tothe country as you, " said the complacent Mr. Blowter profoundly; "butthe Government feel that it is the least they can do for you after yourunusual effort on my behalf and they have asked me to say to you thatthey will not be unmindful of your future. "

He left Sanders standing as though frozen to the spot. 

Hamilton was the first to congratulate him. 

"My dear chap, if ever a man deserved the C. M. G. It is you, " he said. 

It would be absurd to say that Sanders was not pleased. He was certainlynot pleased at the method by which it came, but he should have known, being acquainted with the ways of Governments, that this was the rewardof cumulative merit. He walked back in silence to the Residency, Hamilton keeping pace by his side. 

"By the way, Sanders, " he said, "I have just had a pigeon-post from theriver--Bosambo is back in the Ochori country. Have you any idea how hearrived there?"

"I think I have, " said Sanders, with a grim little smile, "and I think Ishall be calling on Bosambo very soon. "

But that was a threat he was never destined to put into execution. Thatsame evening came a wire from Bob. 

"Your leave is granted: Hamilton is to act as Commissioner in yourtemporary absence. I am sending Lieutenant Francis Augustus Tibbetts totake charge of Houssas. "

"And who the devil is Francis Augustus Tibbetts?" said Sanders andHamilton with one voice. 

CHAPTER I

HAMILTON OF THE HOUSSAS

Sanders turned to the rail and cast a wistful glance at the low-lyingshore. He saw one corner of the white Residency, showing through thesparse _isisi_ palm at the end of the big garden--a smudge of green onyellow from this distance. 

"I hate going--even for six months, " he said. 

Hamilton of the Houssas, with laughter in his blue eyes, and hisfumed-oak face--lean and wholesome it was--all a-twitch, whistled withdifficulty. 

"Oh, yes, I shall come back again, " said Sanders, answering the questionin the tune. "I hope things will go well in my absence. "

"How can they go well?" asked Hamilton, gently. "How can the Isisi live, or the Akasava sow his barbarous potatoes, or the sun shine, or theriver run when Sandi Sitani is no longer in the land?"

"I wouldn't have worried, " Sanders went on, ignoring the insult, "ifthey'd put a good man in charge; but to give a pudden-headedsoldier----"

"We thank you!" bowed Hamilton. 

"----with little or no experience----"

"An insolent lie--and scarcely removed from an unqualified lie!"murmured Hamilton. 

"To put him in my place!" apostrophized Sanders, tilting back his helmetthe better to appeal to the heavens. 

"'Orrible! 'Orrible!" said Hamilton; "and now I seem to catch theaccusing eye of the chief officer, which means that he wants me to hop. God bless you, old man!"

His sinewy paw caught the other's in a grip that left both hands numb atthe finish. 

"Keep well, " said Sanders in a low voice, his hand on Hamilton's back, as they walked to the gangway. "Watch the Isisi and sit onBosambo--especially Bosambo, for he is a mighty slippery devil. "

"Leave me to deal with Bosambo, " said Hamilton firmly, as he skippeddown the companion to the big boat that rolled and tumbled under thecoarse skin of the ship. 

"I _am_ leaving you, " said Sanders, with a chuckle. 

He watched the Houssa pick a finnicking way to the stern of the boat;saw the solemn faces of his rowmen as they bent their naked backs, gripping their clumsy oars. And to think that they and Hamilton weregoing back to the familiar life, to the dear full days he knew! Sanderscoughed and swore at himself. 

"Oh, Sandi!" called the headman of the boat, as she went lumbering overthe clear green swell, "remember us, your servants!"

"I will remember, man, " said Sanders, a-choke, and turned quickly to hiscabin. 

Hamilton sat in the stern of the surf-boat, humming a song to himself;but he felt awfully solemn, though in his pocket reposed a commissionsealed redly and largely on parchment and addressed to: "Ourwell-beloved Patrick George Hamilton, Lieutenant, of our 133rd 1st RoyalHertford Regiment. Seconded for service in our 9th Regiment ofHoussas--Greeting.... "

"Master, " said his Kroo servant, who waited his landing, "you lib fordem big house?"

"I lib, " said Hamilton. 

"Dem big house, " was the Residency, in which a temporarily appointedCommissioner must take up his habitation, if he is to preserve thedignity of his office. 

"Let us pray!" said Hamilton earnestly, addressing himself to a smallsnapshot photograph of Sanders, which stood on a side table. "Let uspray that the barbarian of his kindness will sit quietly till youreturn, my Sanders--for the Lord knows what trouble I'm going to getinto before you return!"

The incoming mail brought Francis Augustus Tibbetts, Lieutenant of theHoussas, raw to the land, but as cheerful as the devil--a straight stickof a youth, with hair brushed back from his forehead, a sun-peeled nose, a wonderful collection of baggage, and all the gossip of London. 

"I'm afraid you'll find I'm rather an ass, sir, " he said, salutingstiffly. "I've only just arrived on the Coast an' I'm simply bubblingover with energy, but I'm rather short in the brain department. "

Hamilton, glaring at his subordinate through his monocle, grinnedsympathetically. 

"I'm not a whale of erudition myself, " he confessed. "What is your name, sir?"

"Francis Augustus Tibbetts, sir. "

"I shall call you Bones, " said Hamilton, decisively. 

Lieut. Tibbetts saluted. "They called me Conk at Sandhurst, sir, " hesuggested. 

"Bones!" said Hamilton, definitely. 

"Bones it is, skipper, " said Mr. Tibbetts; "an' now all this beastlyformality is over we'll have a bottle to celebrate things. " And a bottlethey had. 

It was a splendid evening they spent, dining on chicken and palm-oilchop, rice pudding and sweet potatoes. Hamilton sang, "Who wouldn't be asoldier in the Army?" and--by request--in his shaky falsetto baritone, "My heart is in the Highlands"; and Lieut. Tibbetts gave a lifelikeimitation of Frank Tinney, which convulsed, not alone his superiorofficer, but some two-and-forty men of the Houssas who were unauthorizedspectators through various windows and door cracks and ventilatinggauzes. 

Bones was the son of a man who had occupied a position of someimportance on the Coast, and though the young man's upbringing had beenin England, he had the inestimable advantage of a very thoroughgrounding in the native dialect, not only from Tibbetts, senior, butfrom the two native servants with whom the boy had grown up. 

"I suppose there is a telegraph line to headquarters?" asked Bones thatnight before they parted. 

"Certainly, my dear lad, " replied Hamilton. "We had it laid down when weheard you were coming. "

"Don't flither!" pleaded Bones, giggling convulsively; "but the fact isI've got a couple of dozen tickets in the Cambridgeshire Sweepstake, an'a dear pal of mine--chap named Goldfinder, a rare and delicate bird--hassworn to wire me if I've drawn a horse. D'ye think I'll draw a horse?"

"I shouldn't think you could draw a cow, " said Hamilton. "Go to bed. "

"Look here, Ham----" began Lieut. Bones. 

"To bed! you insubordinate devil!" said Hamilton, sternly. 

In the meantime there was trouble in the Akasava country. 

II

Scarcely had Sanders left the land, when the _lokali_ of the Lower Isisisent the news thundering in waves of sound. 

Up and down the river and from village to village, from town to town, across rivers, penetrating dimly to the quiet deeps of the forest thestory was flung. N'gori, the Chief of the Akasava, having somegrievance against the Government over a question of fine for failure tocollect according to the law, waited for no more than this intelligenceof Sandi's going. His swift loud drums called his people to adance-of-many-days. A dance-of-many-days spells "spears" and spearsspell trouble. Bosambo heard the message in the still of the earlynight, gathered five hundred fighting men, swept down on the Akasavacity in the drunken dawn, and carried away two thousand spears of thesodden N'gori. 

A sobered Akasava city woke up and rubbed its eyes to find strangeOchori sentinels in the street and Bosambo in a sky-blue table-cloth, edged with golden fringe, stalking majestically through the high placesof the city. 

"This I do, " said Bosambo to a shocked N'gori, "because my lord Sandiplaced me here to hold the king's peace. "

"Lord Bosambo, " said the king sullenly, "what peace do I break when Isummon my young men and maidens to dance?"

"Your young men are thieves, and it is written that the maidens of theAkasava are married once in ten thousand moons, " said Bosambo calmly;"and also, N'gori, you speak to a wise man who knows thatclockety-clock-clock on a drum spells war. "

There was a long and embarrassing silence. 

"Now, Bosambo, " said N'gori, after a while, "you have my spears and youryoung men hold the streets and the river. What will you do? Do you sithere till Sandi returns and there is law in the land?"

This was the one question which Bosambo had neither the desire nor theability to answer. He might swoop down upon a warlike people, surprisingthem to their abashment, rendering their armed forces impotent, butexactly what would happen afterwards he had not foreseen. 

"I go back to my city, " he said. 

"And my spears?"

"Also they go with me, " said Bosambo. 

They eyed each other: Bosambo straight and muscular, a perfect figure ofa man, N'gori grizzled and skinny, his brow furrowed with age. 

"Lord, " said N'gori mildly, "if you take my spears you leave me bound tomy enemies. How may I protect my villages against oppression by evil menof Isisi?"

Bosambo sniffed--a sure sign of mental perturbation. All that N'gorisaid was true. Yet if he left the spears there would be trouble for him. Then a bright thought flicked:

"If bad men come you shall send for me and I will bring my fine youngsoldiers. The palaver is finished. "

With this course N'gori must feign agreement. He watched the departingarmy--paddlers sitting on swathes of filched spears. Once Bosambo wasout of sight, N'gori collected all the convertible property of his cityand sent it in ten canoes to the edge of the N'gombi country, forN'gombi folk are wonderful makers of spears and have a saleable stockhidden against emergency. 

For the space of a month there was enacted a comedy of which Hamiltonwas ignorant. Three days after Bosambo had returned in triumph to hiscity, there came a frantic call for succour--a rolling, terrifiedrat-a-plan of sound which the _lokali_ man of the Ochori village read. 

"Lord, " said he, waking Bosambo in the dead of night, "there has comedown a signal from the Akasava, who are pressed by their enemies andhave no spears. "

Bosambo was in the dark street instanter, his booming war-drum callingurgently. Twenty canoes filled with fighting men, paddling desperatelywith the stream, raced to the aid of the defenceless Akasava. 

At dawn, on the beach of the city, N'gori met his ally. "I thank all mylittle gods you have come, my lord, " said he, humbly; "for in the nightone of my young men saw an Isisi army coming against us. "

"Where is the army?" demanded a weary Bosambo. 

"Lord, it has not come, " said N'gori, glibly; "for hearing of yourlordship and your swift canoes, I think it had run away. "

Bosambo's force paddled back to the Ochori city the next day. Two nightsafter, the call was repeated--this time with greater detail. An N'gombiforce of countless spears had seized the village of Doozani and wasthreatening the capital. 

Again Bosambo carried his spears to a killing, and again was met by anapologetic N'gori. 

"Lord, it was a lie which a sick maiden spread, " he explained, "and mystomach is filled with sorrow that I should have brought the mightyBosambo from his wife's bed on such a night. " For the dark hours hadbeen filled with rain and tempest, and Bosambo had nearly lost one canoeby wreck. 

"Oh, fool!" said he, justly exasperated, "have I nothing to do--I, whohave all Sandi's high and splendid business in hand--but I must comethrough the rain because a sick maiden sees visions?"

"Bosambo, I am a fool, " agreed N'gori, meekly, and again his rescuerreturned home. 

"Now, " said N'gori, "we will summon a secret palaver, sending messengersfor all men to assemble at the rise of the first moon. For the N'gombihave sent me new spears, and when next the dog Bosambo comes, weary withrowing, we will fall upon him and there will be no more Bosambo left;for Sandi is gone and there is no law in the land. "

III

Curiously enough, at that precise moment, the question of law was a verypressing one with two young Houssa officers who sat on either side ofSanders' big table, wet towels about their heads, mastering theintricacies of the military code; for Tibbetts was entering for anexamination and Hamilton, who had only passed his own by a fluke, hadrashly offered to coach him. 

"I hope you understand this, Bones, " said Hamilton, staring up at hissubordinate and running his finger along the closely printed pages ofthe book before him. 

"'Any person subject to military law, '" read Hamilton impressively, "'who strikes or ill-uses his superior officer shall, if an officer, suffer death or such less punishment as in this Act mentioned. ' Whichmeans, " said Hamilton, wisely, "that if you and I are in action and youcall me a liar, and I give you a whack on the jaw----"

"You get shot, " said Bones, admiringly, "an' a rippin' good idea, too!"

"If, on the other hand, " Hamilton went on, "I called you a liar--which Ishould be justified in doing--and you give me a whack on the jaw, I'dmake you sorry you were ever born. "

"That's military law, is it?" asked Bones, curiously. 

"It is, " said Hamilton. 

"Then let's chuck it, " said Bones, and shut up his book with a bang. "Idon't want any book to teach me what to do with a feller that calls me aliar. I'll go you one game of picquet, for nuts. "

"You're on, " said Hamilton. 

 * * * * *

"My nuts I think, sir. "

Bones carefully counted the heap which his superior had pushed over, "And--hullo! what the dooce do you want?"

Hamilton followed the direction of the other's eyes. A man stood in thedoorway, naked but for the wisp of skirt at his waist. Hamilton got upquickly, for he recognized the chief of Sandi's spies. 

"O Kelili, " said Hamilton in his easy Bomongo tongue, "why do you comeand from whence?"

"From the island over against the Ochori, Lord, " croaked the man, dry-throated. "Two pigeons I sent, but these the hawks took--a fishermansaw one taken by the Kasai, and my own brother, who lives in the Villageof Irons, saw the other go--though he flew swiftly. "

Hamilton's grave face set rigidly, for he smelt trouble. You do not sendpleasant news by pigeons. 

"Speak, " he said. 

"Lord, " said Kelili, "there is to be a killing palaver between theOchori and the Akasava on the first rise of the full moon, for N'gorispeaks of Bosambo evilly, and says that the Chief has raided him. Inwhat manner these things will come about, " Kelili went on, with thelofty indifference of one who had done his part of the business, so thathe had left no room for carelessness, "I do not know, but I have warnedall eyes of the Government to watch. "

Bones followed the conversation without difficulty. 

"What do people say?" asked Hamilton. 

"Lord, they say that Sandi has gone and there is no law. "

Hamilton of the Houssas grinned. "Oh, ain't there?" said he, in English, vilely. 

"Ain't there?" repeated an indignant Bones, "we'll jolly well show oldThinggumy what's what. "

Bosambo received an envoy from the Chief of the Akasava, and the envoybrought with him presents of dubious value and a message to the effectthat N'gori spent much of his waking moments in wondering how he mightbest serve his brother Bosambo, "The right arm on which I and my peoplelean and the bright eyes through which I see beauty. "

Bosambo returned the messenger, with presents more valueless, and anassurance of friendship more sonorous, more complete in rhetoric andaptness of hyperbole, and when the messenger had gone Bosambo showed hisappreciation of N'gori's love by doubling the guard about the Ochoricity and sending a strong picket under his chief headman to hold theriver bend. 

"Because, " said this admirable philosopher, "life is like certain roots:some that taste sweet and are bitter in the end, and some that are vileto the lips and pleasant to the stomach. "

It was a wild night, being in the month of rains. M'shimba M'shamba wasabroad, walking with his devastating feet through the forest, pluckingup great trees by their roots and tossing them aside as though theywere so many canes. There was a roaring of winds and a crashing ofthunders, and the blue-white lightning snicked in and out of the forestor tore sprawling cracks in the sky. In the Ochori city they heard thestorm grumbling across the river and were awakened by the incessantlightning--so incessant that the weaver birds who lived in palms thatfringed the Ochori streets came chattering to life. 

It was too loud a noise, that M'shimba M'shamba made for the _lokali_man of the Ochori to hear the message that N'gori sent--thepanic-message designed to lure Bosambo to the newly-purchased spears. 

Bones heard it--Bones, standing on the bridge of the _Zaire_ poundingaway upstream, steaming past the Akasava city in a sheet of rain. 

"Wonder what the jolly old row is?" he muttered to himself, and summonedhis sergeant. "Ali, " said he, in faultless Arabic, "what beating ofdrums are these?"

"Lord, " said the sergeant, uneasily, "I do not know, unless they be towarn us not to travel at night. I am your man, Master, " said he in afret, "yet never have I travelled with so great a fear: even our LordSandi does not move by night, though the river is his own child. "

"It is written, " said Bones, cheerfully, and as the sergeant saluted andturned away, the reckless Houssa made a face at the darkness. "If oldman Ham would give me a month or two on the river, " he mused, "I'd set'em alight, by Jove!"

By the miraculous interposition of Providence Bones reached the Ochorivillage in the grey clouded dawn, and Bosambo, early astir, met the lankfigure of the youth, his slick sword dangling, his long revolver holsterstrapped to his side, and his helmet on the back of his head, an eagerwarrior looking for trouble. 

"Lord, of you I have heard, " said Bosambo, politely; "here in the Ochoricountry we talk of no other thing than the new, thin Lord whosebeautiful nose is like the red flowers of the forest. "

"Leave my nose alone, " said Bones, unpleasantly, "and tell me, Chief, what killing palaver is this I hear? I come from Government to right allwrongs--this is evidently his nibs, Bosambo. " The last passage was inhis own native tongue and Bosambo beamed. 

"Yes, sah!" said he in the English of the Coast. "I be Bosambo, goodchap, fine chap; you, sah, you look um--you see um--Bosambo!"

He slapped his chest and Bones unbent. 

"Look here, old sport, " he said affably: "what the dooce is all thisshindy about--hey?"

"No shindy, sah!" said Bosambo--being sure that all people of his citywere standing about at a respectful distance, awe-stricken by the sightof their chief on equal terms with this new white lord. 

"Dem feller he lib for Akasava, sah--he be bad feller: I be goodfeller, sah--C'istian, sah! Matt'ew, Marki, Luki, Johni--I savvy demfine. "

Happily, Bones continued the conversation in the tongue of the land. Then he learned of the dance which Bosambo had frustrated, of the spearstaken, and these he saw stacked in three huts. 

Bones, despite the character he gave himself, was no fool, and, moreover, he had the advantage of knowing of the new N'gombi spears thatwere going out to the Akasava day by day; and when Bosambo told of themidnight summons that had come to him, Bones did the rapid exercise ofmental figuring which is known as putting two and two together. 

He wagged his head when Bosambo had finished his recital, did thisgeneral of twenty-one. "You're a jolly old sportsman, Bosambo, " he saidvery seriously, "and you're in the dooce of a hole, if you only knew it. But you trust old Bones--he'll see you through. By Gad!"

Bosambo, bewildered but resourceful, hearing, without understanding, replied: "I be fine feller, sah!"

"You bet your life you are, old funnyface, " agreed Bones, and screwedhis eyeglass in the better to survey his protégé. 

IV

Chief N'gori organized a surprise party for Bosambo, and took so muchtrouble with the details, that, because of his sheer thoroughness, hedeserved to have succeeded. _Lokali_ men concealed in the bush werewaiting to announce the coming of the rescue party, when N'gori sent hiscry for help crashing across the world. Six hundred spearmen stood readyto embark in fifty canoes, and five hundred more waited on either bankready to settle with any survivors of the Ochori who found their way toland. 

The best of plans are subject to the banal reservation, "weatherpermitting, " and the signal intended to bring Bosambo to his destructionwas swallowed up in the bellowings of the storm. 

"This night being fine, " said N'gori, showing his teeth, "Bosambo willsurely come. "

His Chief Counsellor, an ancient man of the royal tribe, [2] hadunexpected warnings to offer. A man had seen a man, who had caught aglimpse of the _Zaire_ butting her way upstream in the dead of night. Was it wise, when the devil Sandi waited to smite, and so close at hand, to engage in so high an adventure?

[Footnote 2: That which I call the Akasava proper is the very small, dominant clan of a tribe which is loosely called "Akasava, " but isreally Bowongo. ]

"Old man, there is a hut in the forest for you, " said N'gori, withsignificance, and the Counsellor wilted, because the huts in the forestare for the sick, the old, and the mad, and here they are left to starveand die; "for, " N'gori went on, "all men know that Sandi has gone to hispeople across the black waters, and the M'ilitani rules. Also, innights of storms there are men who see even devils. "

With more than ordinary care he prepared for the final settling withBosambo the Robber, and there is a suggestion that he was encouraged bythe chiefs of other lands, who had grown jealous of the Ochori and theiroffensive rectitude. Be that as it may, all things were made ready, evento the knives of sacrifice and the young saplings which had not beenemployed by the Akasava for their grisly work since the Year ofHangings. 

At an hour before midnight the tireless _lokali_ sent out its call:

 "We of the Akasava" (four long rolls and a quick succession of taps)

 "Danger threatens" (a long roll, a short roll, and a triple tap-tap)

 "Isisi fighting" (rolls punctuated by shorter tattoos)

 "Come to me" (a long crescendo roll and patter of taps)

 "Ochori" (nine rolls, curiously like the yelping of a dog)

So the message went out: every village heard and repeated. The Isisithrew the call northward; the N'gombi village, sent it westward, andpresently first the Isisi, then the N'gombi, heard the faint answer:"Coming--the Breaker of Lives, " and returned the message to N'gori. 

"Now I shall also break lives, " said N'gori, and sacrificed a goat tohis success. 

Sixteen hundred fighting men waited for the signal from the hidden_lokali_ player, on the far side of the river bend. At the first hollowrattle of his sticks, N'gori pushed off in his royal canoe. 

"Kill!" he roared, and went out in the white light of dawn to greet tenOchori canoes, riding in fanshape formation, having as their centre awhite and speckless _Zaire_ alive with Houssas and overburdened with theslim muzzles of Hotchkiss guns. 

"Oh, Ko!" said N'gori dismally, "this is a bad palaver!"

 * * * * *

In the centre of his city, before a reproving squad of Houssas, a dumbman, taken in the act of armed aggression, N'gori stood. 

"You're a naughty boy, " said Bones, reproachfully, "and if jolly oldSanders were here--my word, you'd catch it!"

N'gori listened to the unknown tongue, worried by its mystery. "Lord, what happens to me?" he asked. 

Bones looked very profound and scratched his head. He looked at theChief, at Bosambo, at the river all aglow in the early morning sunlight, at the _Zaire_, with her sinister guns a-glitter, and then back at theChief. He was not well versed in the dialect of the Akasava, and Bosambomust be his interpreter. 

"Very serious offence, old friend, " said Bones, solemnly; "awfullyserious--muckin' about with spears and all that sort of thing. I'll haveto make a dooce of an example of you--yes, by Heaven!"

Bosambo heard and imperfectly understood. He looked about for a likelytree where an unruly chief might sway with advantage to the community. 

"You're a bad, bad boy, " said Bones, shaking his head; "tell him. "

"Yes, sah!" said Bosambo. 

"Tell him he's fined ten dollars. "

But Bosambo did not speak: there are moments too full for words and thiswas one of them. 

CHAPTER II

THE DISCIPLINARIANS

Lieutenant Augustus Tibbetts of the Houssas stood at attention beforehis chief. He stood as straight as a ramrod, his hands to his sides, hiseyeglass jammed in his eye, and Hamilton of the Houssas looked at himsorrowfully. 

"Bones, you're an ass!" he said at last. 

"Yes, sir, " said Bones. 

"I sent you to Ochori to prevent a massacre, you catch a chief in theact of ambushing an enemy and instead of chucking him straight into theVillage of Iron you fine him ten dollars. "

"Yes, sir, " said Bones. 

There was a painful pause. 

"Well, you're an ass!" said Hamilton, who could think of nothing betterto say. 

"Yes, sir, " said Bones; "I think you're repeating yourself, sir. I seemto have heard a similar observation before. "

"You've made Bosambo and the whole of the Ochori as sick as monkeys, andyou've made me look a fool. "

"Hardly my responsibility, sir, " said Bones, gently. 

"I hardly know what to do with you, " said Hamilton, drawing his pipefrom his pocket and slowly charging it. "Naturally, Bones, I can neverlet you loose again on the country. " He lit his pipe and puffedthoughtfully. "And of course----"

"Pardon me, sir, " said Bones, still uncomfortably erect, "this isintended to be a sort of official inquiry an' all that sort of thing, isn't it?"

"It is, " said Hamilton. 

"Well, sir, " said Bones, "may I ask you not to smoke? When a chap'shonour an' reputation an' all that sort of thing is being weighed in thebalance, sir, believe me, smokin' isn't decent--it isn't really, sir. "

Hamilton looked round for something to throw at his critic and found atolerably heavy book, but Bones dodged and fielded it dexterously. "Andif you must chuck things at me, sir, " he added, as he examined the titleon the back of the missile, "will you avoid as far as possible usin' thesacred volumes of the Army List? It hurts me to tell you this, sir, butI've been well brought up. "

"What's the time?" asked Hamilton, and his second-in-command examinedhis watch. 

"Ten to tiffin, " he said. "Good Lord, we've been gassin' an hour. Anynews from Sanders?"

"He's in town--that's all I know--but don't change the serious subject, Bones. Everybody is awfully disgusted with you--Sanders would have atleast brought him to trial. "

"I couldn't do it, sir, " said Bones, firmly. "Poor old bird! He lookedsuch an ass, an' moreover reminded me so powerfully of an aunt of minethat I simply couldn't do it. "

No doubt but that Lieut. Francis Augustus Tibbetts of the Houssas, withhis sun-burnt nose, his large saucer eyes, and his air of solemninnocence, had shaken the faith of the impressionable folk. This muchHamilton was to learn: for Tibbetts had been sent with a party ofHoussas to squash effectively an incipient rebellion in the Akasava, andhaving caught N'gori in the very act of most treacherously and mostdamnably preparing an ambush for a virtuous Bosambo, Chief of theOchori, had done no more than fine him ten dollars. 

And this was in a land where even the Spanish dollar had never been seensave by Bosambo, who was reported to have more than his share of silverin a deep hole beneath the floor of his hut. 

Small wonder that Captain Hamilton held an informal court-martial ofone, the closing stages of which I have described, and sentenced hiswholly inefficient subordinate to seven days' field exercise in theforest with half a company of Houssas. 

"Oh, dash it, you don't mean that?" asked Bones in dismay when thefinding of the court was conveyed to him at lunch. 

"I do, " said Hamilton firmly. "I'd be failing in my job of work if Ididn't make you realize what a perfect ass you are. "

"Perfect--yes, " protested Bones, "ass--no. Fact is, dear old fellow, I've a temperament. You aren't going to make me go about in thatbeastly forest diggin' rifle pits an' pitchin' tents an' all that sortof dam' nonsense; it's too grisly to think about. "

"None the less, " said Hamilton, "you will do it whilst I go north to siton the heads of all who endeavour to profit by your misguided leniency. I shall be back in time for the Administration Inspection--don't for thelove of heaven forget that His Excellency----"

"Bless his jolly old heart!" murmured Bones. 

"That His Excellency is paying his annual visit on the twenty-first. "

A ray of hope shot through the gloom of Lieut. Tibbetts' mind. 

"Under the circumstances, dear old friend, don't you think it would bebest to chuck that silly idea of field training? What about sticking upa board and gettin' the chaps to paint, 'Welcome to the UnitedTerritories, ' or 'God bless our Home, ' or something. "

Hamilton withered him with a glance. 

His last words, shouted from the bridge of the _Zaire_ as her sternwheel went threshing ahead, were, "Remember, Bones! No shirking!"

_"Honi soit qui mal y pense_!" roared Bones. 

II

Hamilton had evidence enough of the effect which the leniency of hissubordinate had produced. News travels fast, and the Akasava are greattalkers. Hamilton, coming to the Isisi city on his way up the river, found a crowd on the beach to watch his mooring, their arms foldedhugging their sides--sure gesture of indifferent idleness--but neitherthe paramount chief, nor his son, nor any of his counsellors awaited thesteamer to pay their respects. 

Hamilton sent for them and still they did not come, sending a messagethat they were sick. So Hamilton went striding through the street of thecity, his long sword flapping at his side, four Houssas padding swiftlyin his rear at their curious jog-trot. B'sano, the young chief of theIsisi, came out lazily from his hut and stood with outstretched feet andarms akimbo watching the nearing Houssa, and he had no fear, for it wassaid that now Sandi was away from the country no man had the authorityto punish. 

And the counsellors behind B'sano had their bunched spears and theirwicker-work shields, contrary to all custom--as Sanders had framed thecustom. 

"O chief, " said Hamilton, with that ready smile of his, "I waited foryou and you did not come. "

"Soldier, " said B'sano, insolently, "I am the king of these people andanswerable to none save my lord Sandi, who, as you know, is gone fromus. "

"That I know, " said the patient Houssa, "and because it is in my heartto show all people what manner of law Sandi has left behind, I fine youand your city ten thousand _matakos_ that you shall remember that thelaw lives, though Sandi is in the moon, though all rulers change anddie. "

A slow gleam of contempt came to the chief's eyes. 

"Soldier, " said he, "I do not pay _matako--wa_!"

He stumbled back, his mouth agape with fear. The long barrel ofHamilton's revolver rested coldly on his bare stomach. 

"We will have a fire, " said Hamilton, and spoke to his sergeant inArabic. "Here in the centre of the city we will make a fire of proudshields and unlawful spears. "

One by one the counsellors dropped their wicker shields upon the firewhich the Houssa sergeant had kindled, and as they dropped them, thesergeant scientifically handcuffed the advisers of the Isisi chief incouples. 

"You shall find other counsellors, B'sano, " said Hamilton, as the menwere led to the _Zaire_. "See that I do not come bringing with me a newchief. "

"Lord, " said the chief humbly, "I am your dog. "

Not alone was B'sano at fault. Up and down the road old grievancesawaited settlement: there were scores to adjust, misunderstandings toremove. Mostly these misunderstandings had to do with importantquestions of tribal superiority and might only be definitely tested bysanguinary combat. 

Also picture a secret order, ruthlessly suppressed by Sanders, andpractised by trembling men, each afraid of the other despite theiroaths; and the fillip it received when the news went forth--"Sandi hasgone--there is no law. "

This was a fine time for the dreamers of dreams and for the men who sawportends and understood the wisdom of Ju-jus. 

Bemebibi, chief of the Lesser Isisi, was too fat a man for a dreamer, for visions run with countable ribs and a cough. Nor was he tall norcommanding by any standard. He had broad shoulders and a short neck. Hishead was round, and his eyes were cunning and small. He was an irritableman, had a trick of beating his counsellors when they displeased him, and was a ready destroyer of men. 

Some say that he practised sacrifice in the forests, he and the membersof his society, but none spoke with any certainty or authority, forBemebibi was chief, alike of a community and an order. In the LesserIsisi alone, the White Ghosts had flourished in spite of every effort ofthe Administration to stamp them out. 

It was a society into which the hazardous youth of the Isisi wereinitiated joyfully, for there is little difference in the temperament ofyouth, whether it wears a cloth about its loins or lavender spats uponits feet. 

Thus it came about that one-half of the adult male population of theLesser Isisi, had sworn by the letting of blood and the rubbing of salt:

 (1) To hop upon one foot for a spear's length every night and morning. 

 (2) To love all ghosts and speak gently of devils. 

 (3) To be dumb and blind and to throw spears swiftly for the love of the White Ghosts. 

One night Bemebibi went into the forest with six highmen of his order. They came to a secret place at a pool, and squatted in a circle, eachman laying his hands on the soles of his feet in the prescribed fashion. 

"Snakes live in holes, " said Bemebibi conventionally. "Ghosts dwell bywater and all devils sit in the bodies of little birds. "

This they repeated after him, moving their heads from side to sideslowly. 

"This is a good night, " said the chief, when the ritual was ended, "fornow I see the end of our great thoughts. Sandi is gone and M'ilitini isby the place where the three rivers meet, and he has come in fear. Alsoby magic I have learnt that he is terrified because he knows me to be anawful man. Now, I think, it is time for all ghosts to strike swiftly. "

He spoke with emotion, swaying his body from side to side after themanner of orators. His voice grew thick and husky as the immensity ofhis design grew upon him. 

"There is no law in the land, " he sang. "Sandi has gone, and only alittle, thin man punishes in fear. M'ilitini has blood like water--letus sacrifice. "

One of his highmen disappeared into the dark forest and came back soon, dragging a half-witted youth, named Ko'so, grinning and mumbling andcontent till the curved N'gombi knife, that his captor wielded, came"snack" to his neck and then he spoke no more. 

Too late Hamilton came through the forest with his twenty Houssas. Bemebibi saw the end and was content to make a fight for it, as were hispartners in crime. 

"Use your bayonets, " said Hamilton briefly, and flicked out his long, white sword. Bemebibi lunged at him with his stabbing spear, andHamilton caught the poisoned spearhead on the steel guard, touched itaside, and drove forward straight and swiftly from his shoulder. 

"Bury all these men, " said Hamilton, and spent a beastly night in theforest. 

So passed Bemebibi, and his people gave him up to the ghosts, him andhis highmen. 

There were other problems less tragic, to be dealt with, a Bosamborather grieved than sulking, a haughty N'gori to be kicked to a sense ofhis unimportance, chiefs, major and minor, to be brought into acondition of penitence. 

Hamilton went zigzagging up the river swiftly. He earned for himself inthose days the name of "Dragon-fly, " or its native equivalent, and theillustration was apt, for it seemed that the _Zaire_ would poise, buzzing angrily, then dart off in unexpected directions, and the spiritof complacency which had settled upon the land gave place to one ofapprehension, which, in the old days, followed the arrival of Sanders ina mood of reprisal. 

Hamilton sent a letter by canoe to his second-in-command. It startedsimply:

"Bones--I will not call you 'dear Bones, '" it went on with a hint of therancour in the writer's heart, "for you are not dear to me. I amstriving to clear up the mess you have made so that when His Excellencyarrives I shall be able to show him a law-abiding country. I have missedyou, Bones, but had you been near on more occasion than one, I shouldnot have missed you. Bones, were you ever kicked as a boy? Did any goodfellow ever get you by the scruff of your neck and the seat of yourtrousers and chuck you into an evil-smelling pond? Try to think and sendme the name of the man who did this, that I may send him a letter ofthanks. 

"Your absurd weakness has kept me on the move for days. Oh, Bones, Bones! I am in a sweat, lest even now you are tampering with thediscipline of my Houssas--lest you are handing round tea and cake to theAlis and Ahmets and Mustaphas of my soldiers; lest you are brighteningtheir evenings with imitations of Frank Tinney and fanning the fliesfrom their sleeping forms, " the letter went on. 

"Cad!" muttered Bones, as he read this bit. 

There were six pages couched in this strain, and at the end six more ofinstruction. Bones was in the forest when the letter came to him, unshaven, weary, and full of trouble. 

He hated work, he loathed field exercise, he regarded bridge-buildingover imaginary streams, and the whole infernal curriculum of militarytraining, as being peculiarly within the province of the boy scouts andwholly beneath the dignity of an officer of the Houssas. And he felthorribly guilty as he read Hamilton's letter, for the night before itcame he had most certainly entertained his company with a banjorendering of the Soldiers' Chorus from "Faust. "

He rumpled his beautiful hair, jammed down his helmet, squared hisshoulders, and, with a fiendish expression on his face--an expressionintended by Bones to represent a stern, unbending devotion to duty, hestepped forth from his tent determined to undo what mischief he haddone, and earn, if not the love, at least the respect of his people. 

III

There is in all services a subtle fear and hope. They have to do lesswith material consequence than with a sense of harmony which rejects thediscordance of failure. Also Hamilton was a human man, who, whilst herespected Sanders and had a profound regard for his qualities, nourisheda secret faith that he might so carry on the work of the heaven-bornCommissioner without demanding the charity of his superiors. 

He wished--not unnaturally--to spread a triumphant palm to his countryand say "Behold! There are the talents that Sanders left--I haveincreased them, by my care, twofold. "

He came down stream in some haste having completed the work ofpacification and stopped at the Village of Irons long enough to hand tothe Houssa warder four unhappy counsellors of the Isisi king. 

"Keep these men for service against our lord Sandi's return. "

At Bosinkusu he was delayed by a storm, a mad, whirling brute of a stormthat lashed the waters of the river and swept the _Zaire_ broadside ontowards the shore. At M'idibi, the villagers, whose duty it was to cutand stack wood for the Government steamers, had gone into a forest tomeet a celebrated witch doctor, gambling on the fact that there wasanother wooding village ten miles down stream and that Hamilton wouldchoose that for the restocking of his boat. 

So that beyond a thin skeleton pile of logs on the river's edge--set upto deceive the casual observer as he passed and approved of theirindustry--there was no wood and Hamilton had to set his men towood-cutting. 

He had nearly completed the heart-breaking work when the villagersreturned in a body, singing an unmusical song and decked about withropes of flowers. 

"Now, " explained the headman, "we have been to a palaver with a holy manand he has promised us that some day there will come to us a greatharvest of corn which will be reaped by magic and laid at our doorswhilst we sleep. "

"And I, " said the exasperated Houssa, "promise you a great harvest ofwhips that, so far from coming in your sleep, will keep you awake. "

"Master, we did not know that you would come so soon, " said the humbleheadman; "also there was a rumour that your lordship had been drowned inthe storm and your _puc-a-puc_ sunk, and my young men were happy becausethere would be no more wood to cut. "

The _Zaire_, fuel replenished, slipped down the river, Hamilton leaningover the rail promising unpleasant happenings as the boat drifted outfrom the faithless village. He had cut things very fine, and could do nomore than hope that he would reach headquarters an hour or so before theAdministrator arrived by the mail-boat. If Bones could be trusted therewould be no cause for worry. Bones should have the men's quarterswhitewashed, the parade ground swept and garnished, and stores inexcellent order for inspection, and all the books on hand for theAccountant-General to glance over. 

But Bones!

Hamilton writhed internally at the thought of Francis Augustus and hisinefficiency. 

He had sent his second the most elaborate instructions, but if he knewhis man, the languid Bones would do no more than pass those instructionson to a subordinate. 

It was ten o'clock on the morning of the inspection that the _Zaire_came paddling furiously to the tiny concrete quay, and Hamilton gave asigh of relief. For there, awaiting him, stood Lieutenant Tibbetts inthe glory of his raiment--helmet sparkling white, steel hilt of sworda-glitter, khaki uniform, spotless and well-fitting. 

"Everything is all right, sir, " said Bones, saluting, and Hamiltonthought he detected a gruffer and more robust note in the tone. 

"Mail-boat's just in, sir, " Bones went on with unusual fierceness. "You're in time to meet His Excellency. Stores all laid out, books intrim, parade ground and quarters whitewashed as per your jolly oldorders, sir. "

He saluted again, his eyes bulging, his face a veritable mask offerocity, and, turning on his heel, he led the way to the beach. 

"Here, hold hard!" said Hamilton; "what the dickens is the matter withyou?"

"Seen the error of my ways, sir, " growled Bones, again salutingpunctiliously. "I've been an ass, sir--too lenient--given you a lot oftrouble--shan't occur again. "

There was not time to ask any further questions. 

The two men had to run to reach the landing place in time, for the surfboats were at that moment rolling to the yellow beach. 

Sir Robert Sanleigh, in spotless white, was carried ashore, and hisstaff followed. 

"Ah, Hamilton, " said the great Bob, "everything all right?"

"Yes, your Excellency, " said Hamilton, "there have been one or twoserious killing palavers on which I will report. "

Sir Robert nodded. 

"You were bound to have a little trouble as soon as Sanders went, " hesaid. 

He was a methodical man and had little time for the work at hand, forthe mail-boat was waiting to carry him to another station. Books, quarters, and stores were in apple-pie order, and inwardly Hamiltonraised his voice in praise of the young man, who strode silently andfiercely by his side, his face still distorted with a new-foundfierceness. 

"The Houssas are all right, I suppose?" asked Sir Robert. "Disciplinegood--no crime?"

"The discipline is excellent, sir, " replied Hamilton, heartily, "and wehaven't had any serious crime for years. "

Sir Robert Sanleigh fixed his _pince-nez_ upon his nose and looked roundthe parade ground. A dozen Houssas in two ranks stood at attention inthe centre. 

"Where are the rest of your men?" asked the Administrator. 

"In gaol, sir. " It was Bones who answered the question. 

Hamilton gasped. 

"In gaol--I'm sorry--but I knew nothing for this. I've just arrived fromthe interior, your Excellency. "

They walked across to the little party. 

"Where is Sergeant Abiboo?" asked Hamilton suddenly. 

"In gaol, sir, " said Bones, promptly, "sentenced to death--scratchin'his leg on parade after bein' warned repeatedly by me to give up thedisgusting habit. "

"Where is Corporal Ahmet, Bones?" asked the frantic Hamilton. 

"In gaol, sir, " said Bones. "I gave him twenty years for talkin' in theranks an' cheekin' me when I told him to shut up. There's a whole lot ofthem, sir, " he went on casually. "I sentenced two chaps to death forfightin' in the lines, an' gave another feller ten years for----"

"I think that will do, " said Sir Robert, tactfully. "A most excellentinspection, Captain Hamilton--now, I think, I'll get back to my ship. "

He took Hamilton aside on the beach. 

"What did you call that young man?" he asked. 

"Bones, your Excellency, " said Hamilton miserably. 

"I should call him Blood and Bones, " smiled His Excellency, as he shookhands. 

 * * * * *

"What's the good of bullyin' me, dear old chap?" asked Bonesindignantly. "If I let a chap off, I'm kicked, an' if I punish him I'mkicked--it's enough to make a feller give up bein' judicial----"

"Bones, you're a goop, " said Hamilton, in despair. 

"A goop, sir?--if you'd be kind enough to explain----?"

"There's an ass, " said Hamilton, ticking off one finger; "and there's asilly ass, " he ticked off the second; "and there's a silly ass who issuch a silly ass that he doesn't know what a silly ass he is: we callhim a goop. "

"Thank you, sir, " said Bones, without resentment, "and which is thegoop, you or----?"

Hamilton dropped his hand on his revolver butt, and for a moment therewas murder in his eyes. 

CHAPTER III

THE LOST N'BOSINI

"M'ilitani, there is a bad palaver in the N'bosini country, " said thegossip-chief of the Lesser Isisi, and wagged his head impressively. 

Hamilton of the Houssas rose up from his camp chair and stretchedhimself to his full six feet. His laughing eyes--terribly blue theylooked in the mahogany setting of his lean face--quizzed the chief, andhis clean-shaven lips twitched ever so slightly. 

Chief Idigi looked at him curiously. Idigi was squat and fat, but wise. None the less he gossiped, for, as they say on the river, "Even the wise_oochiri_ is a chatterer. "

"O, laughing Lord, " said Idigi, almost humble in his awe--for blue eyesin a brown face are a great sign of devilry, "this is no smilingpalaver, for they say----"

"Idigi, " interrupted Hamilton, "I smile when you speak of the N'bosini, because there is no such land. Even Sandi, who has wisdom greater than_ju-ju_, he says that there is no N'bosini, but that it is the foolishtalk of men who cannot see whence come their troubles and must find aland and a people and a king out of their mad heads. Go back to yourvillage, Idigi, telling all men that I sit here for a spell in the placeof my lord Sandi, and if there be, not one king of N'bosini, but ascore, and if he lead, not one army, but three and three and three, Iwill meet him with my soldiers and he shall go the way of the bad king. "

Idigi, unconvinced, shaking his head, said a doubtful "_Wa!_" and wouldcontinue upon his agreeable subject--for he was a lover of ghosts. 

"Now, " said he, impressively, "it is said that on the night before themoon came, there was seen, on the edge of the lake-forest, ten warriorsof the N'bosini, with spears of fire and arrows tipped with stars, also----"

"Go to the devil!" said Hamilton, cheerfully. "The palaver is finished. "

Later, he watched Idigi--so humble a man that he never travelled withmore than four paddlers--winding his slow way up stream--and Hamiltonwas not laughing. 

He went back to his canvas chair before the Residency, and sat for halfan hour, alternately pinching and rubbing his bare arms--he was in hisshirt sleeves--in a reverie which was not pleasant. 

Here Lieutenant Augustus Tibbetts, returning from an afternoon'sfishing, with a couple of weird-looking fish as his sole catch, foundhim and would have gone on with a little salute. 

"Bones!" called Hamilton, softly. 

Bones swung round. "Sir!" he said stiffly. 

"Come off your horse, Bones, " coaxed Hamilton. 

"Not me, " replied Bones; "I've finished with you, dear old fellow; as anofficer an' a gentleman you've treated me rottenly--you have, indeed. Give me an order--I'll obey it. Tell me to lead a forlorn hope or go tobed at ten--I'll carry out instructions accordin' to military law, butoutside of duty you're a jolly old rotter. I'm hurt, Ham, doocidly hurt. I think----"

"Oh shut up and sit down!" interrupted his chief, irritably. "You jawand jaw till my head aches. "

Reluctantly Lieutenant Tibbetts walked back, depositing his catch withthe greatest care on the ground. 

"What on earth have you got there?" asked Hamilton, curiously. 

"I don't know whether it's cod or turbot, " said the cautious Bones, "butI'll have 'em cooked and find out. "

Hamilton grinned. "To be exact, they're catfish, and poisonous, " hesaid, and whistled his orderly. "Oh, Ahmet, " he said in Arabic, "takethese fish and throw them away. "

Bones fixed his monocle, and his eyes followed his catch till they wereout of sight. 

"Of course, sir, " he said with resignation, "if you like to commandeermy fish it's not for me to question you. "

"I'm a little worried, Bones, " began Hamilton. 

"A conscience, sir, " said Bones, smugly, "is a pretty rotten thing for afeller to have. I remember years ago----"

"There's a little unrest up there"--Hamilton waved his hand towards thedark green forest, sombre in the shadows of the evening--"a palaver Idon't quite get the hang of. If I could only trust you, Bones!"

Lieutenant Tibbetts rose. He readjusted his monocle and stiffenedhimself to attention--a heroic pose which invariably accompanied hisprotests. But Hamilton gave him no opportunity. 

"Anyway, I have to trust you, Bones, " he said, "whether I like it ornot. You get ready to clear out. Take twenty men and patrol the riverbetween the Isisi and the Akasava. "

In as few words as possible he explained the legend of the N'bosini. "Ofcourse, there is no such place, " he said; "it is a mythical land likethe lost Atlantis--the home of the mysterious and marvellous tribes, populated by giants and filled with all the beautiful products of theworld. "

"I know, sir, " said Bones, nodding his head. "It is like one of thosebuilding estate advertisements you read in the American papers:Young-man-go-west-an'-buy-Dudville Corner Blocks----"

"You have a horrible mind, " said Hamilton. "However, get ready. I willhave steam in the _Zaire_ against your departure. "

"There is one thing I should like to ask you about, " said Bones, standing hesitatingly first on one leg and then on the other. "I thinkI have told you before that I have tickets in a Continental sweepstake. I should be awfully obliged----"

"Go away!" snarled Hamilton. 

Bones went cheerfully enough. 

He loved the life on the _Zaire_, the comfort of Sanders' cabin, theelectric reading lamp and the fine sense of authority. He would standupon the bridge for hours, with folded arms and impassive face, staringahead as the oily waters moved slowly under the bow of thestern-wheeler. Now and again he would turn to give a fierce order to thesteersman or to the patient Yoka, the squat black _Krooman_ who knewevery inch of the river, and who stood all the time, his hand upon thelever of the telegraph ready to "slow" at the first sign of a newsand-bank. 

For, in parts, the river was less than two or three feet deep and thebed was constantly changing. The sounding boys, who stood on the bow ofthe steamer, whirling their long canes and singing the depthmonotonously, would shout a warning cry, but long before their lips hadframed a caution, Yoka would have pulled the telegraph over to "stop. "His eyes would have detected the tiny ripple on the waters ahead whichdenoted a new "bank. "

To Bones, the river was a deep, clear stream. He had no idea as to thedepth and never troubled to inquire. These short, stern orders of histhat he barked to left and right from time to time, nobody took theslightest notice of, and Bones would have been considerably embarrassedif they had. Observing that the steamer was tacking from shore to shore, a proceeding which, to Bones' orderly mind, seemed inconsistent with thedignity of the Government boat, he asked the reason. 

"Lord, " said the steersman, one Ebibi, "there are many banks hereabout, large sands, which silt up in a night, therefore we must make a passagefor the _puc-a-puc_, by going from shore to shore. "

"You're a silly ass, " said Bones, "and let it go at that. "

Yet, for all his irresponsibility, for all his wild and unknowledgeableconspectus of the land and its people, there was instilled in the heartof Lieutenant Tibbetts something of the spirit of dark romance andadventure-loving, which association with the Coast alone can bring. 

In the big house at Dorking where he had spent his childhood, theten-acre estate, where his father had lorded (himself a one-timeCommissioner), he had watered the seed of desire which heredity hadirradicably sown in his bosom; a desire not to be shaped by words, orconfirmed in phrase, but best described as the discovery-lust, whichsend men into dark, unknown places of the world to joyously sacrificelife and health that their names might be associated with some scrap ofsure fact for the better guidance of unborn generations. 

Bones was a dreamer of dreams. 

On the bridge of the _Zaire_ he was a Nelson taking the _Victory_ intoaction, a Stanley, a Columbus, a Sir Garnet Wolseley forcing thepassages of the Nile. 

Small wonder that he turned from time to time to the steersman with asharp "Put her to starboard, " or "Port your helm a little. "

Less wonder that the wholly uncomprehending steersman went on with hiswork as though Bones had no separate or tangible existence. 

On the fourth evening after leaving headquarters, Bones summoned to hiscabin Mahomet Ali, the sergeant in charge of his soldiers. 

"O, Mahomet, " said he, "tell me of this N'bosini of which men speak, andin which all native people believe, for my lord M'ilitani has said thatthere is no such place and that it is the dream of mad people. "

"Master, that I also believe, " said Mahomet Ali; "these people of theriver are barbarians, having no God and being foredoomed for all time tohell, and it is my belief that his idea of N'bosini is no more than theParadise of the faithful, of which the barbarians have heard andconverted in their wild way. "

"Tell me, who talks of N'bosini, " said Bones, crossing his legs andleaning back in his chair, his hands behind his head; "for, rememberthat I am a stranger amongst you, Mahomet Ali, coming from a far landand having seen such marvels as----"

He paused, seeking the Arabic for "gramaphone" and "motor-'bus, " then hewent on wisely: "Such marvels as you cannot imagine. "

"This I know of N'bosini, " said the sergeant, "that all men along thisriver believe in it; all save Bosambo of the Ochori who, as is wellknown, believes in nothing, since he is a follower of the Prophet andthe one God. "

Mahomet Ali salaamed devoutly. 

"And men say that this land lies at the back of the N'gombi country; andothers that it lies near the territories of the old King; and someothers who say that it is a far journey beyond the French's territory, farther than man can walk, that its people have wings upon theirshoulders and can fly, and that their eyes are so fierce that trees burnwhen they look upon them. This only we know, lord, we, of your soldiers, who have followed Sandi through all his high adventures, that when mentalk of N'bosini, there is trouble, for they are seeking something toexcuse their own wickedness. "

All night long, as Bones turned from side to side in his hot cabin, listening to the ineffectual buzzings of the flies that sought, unsuccessfully, to reach the interior of the cabin through a fine meshedscreen, the problem of N'bosini revolved in his mind. 

Was it likely, thought Bones, cunningly, that men should invent acountry, even erring men, seeking an excuse? Did not all previousexperience go to the support of the theory that N'bosini had someexistence? In other words that, planted in the secret heart of someforest in the territory, barred from communication with the world byswift rivers of the high tangle of forests, there was, in being, asecret tribe of which only rumours had been heard--a tribe of white men, perhaps!

Bones had read of such things in books; he knew his "Solomon's Mines"and was well acquainted with his "Allan Quatermain. " Who knows but thatthrough the forest was a secret path held, perchance, by armouredwarriors, which led to the mountains at the edge of the Old King'sterritory, where in the folds of the inaccessible hills, there might bea city of stone, peopled and governed by stern white-bearded men, andstreets filled with beautiful maidens garbed in the style of ancientGreece!

"It is all dam' nonsense of course, " said Bones to himself, thoughfeebly; "but, after all there may be something in this. There's no smokewithout fire. "

The idea took hold of him and gripped him most powerfully. He tookSanders' priceless maps and carefully triangulated them, consultingevery other written authority on the ship. He stopped at villages andheld palavers on this question of N'bosini and acquired a whole mass ofconflicting information. 

If you smile at Bones, you smile at the glorious spirit of enterprisewhich has created Empire. Out of such dreams as ran criss-cross throughthe mind of Lieutenant Tibbetts there have arisen nationalities undreamtof and Empires Cæsar never knew. 

Now one thing is certain, that Bones, in pursuing his inquiries aboutN'bosini, was really doing a most useful piece of work. 

The palavers he called had a deeper significance to the men who attendedthem than purely geographical inquiries. Thus, the folk of the Isisiplanning a little raid upon certain Akasava fishermen, who hadestablished themselves unlawfully upon the Isisi river-line, put awaytheir spears and folded their hands when N'bosini was mentioned, becauseBones was unconsciously probing their excuse before they advanced it. 

Idigi, himself, who, in his caution, had prepared Hamilton for someslight difference of opinion between his own tribe and the N'gombi ofthe interior, read into the earnest inquiries of Lieutenant Tibbetts, something more than a patient spirit of research. 

All that Hamilton had set his subordinate to accomplish Bones was doing, though none was more in ignorance of the fact than himself, and, sinceall men owed a grudge to the Ochori, palavers, which had as their objectan investigation into the origin of the N'bosini legend, invariablyended in the suggestion rather than the statement that the onlyauthority upon this mysterious land, and the still more mysterious tribewho inhabited it, was Bosambo of the Ochori. Thus, subtly, was Bosambosaddled with all responsibility in the matter. 

Hamilton's parting injunction to Bones had been:

"Be immensely civil to Bosambo, because he is rather sore with you andhe is a very useful man. "

Regarding him, as he did, as the final authority upon the N'bosini, Bones made elaborate preparations to carry out his chief's commands. Hecame round the river bend to the Ochori city, with flags fluttering athis white mast, with his soldiers drawn up on deck, with his buglerstootling, and his siren sounding, and Bosambo, ever ready to jump to theconclusion that he was being honoured for his own sake, found that thistime, at least, he had made no mistake and rose to the occasion. 

In an emerald-green robe with twelve sox suspenders strapped about hislegs and dangling tags a-glitter--he had bought these on his visit tothe Coast--with an umbrella of state and six men carrying a canopy overhis august person, he came down to the beach to greet therepresentatives of the Government. 

"Lord, " said Bosambo humbly, "it gives me great pride that your lordshipshould bring his beautiful presence to my country. All this month I havesat in my hut, wondering why you came not to the Ochori, and I have noteaten food for many days because of my sorrow and my fear that you wouldnot come to us. "

Bones walked under the canopy to the chief's hut. A superior palaveroccupied the afternoon on the question of taxation. Here Bones was onsafe ground. Having no power to remit taxes, but having most explicitinstructions from his chief, which admitted of no compromise, it was aneasy matter for Bones to shake his head and say in English:

"Nothin' doing"; a phrase which, afterwards, passed into the vocabularyof the Ochori as the equivalent of denial of privilege. 

It was on the second day that Bones broached the question of theN'bosini. Bosambo had it on the tip of his tongue to deny all knowledgeof this tribe, was even preparing to call down destruction upon theheads of the barbarians who gave credence to the story. Then he askedcuriously:

"Lord, why do you speak of the land or desire knowledge upon it?"

"Because, " said Bones, firmly, "it is in mind, Bosambo, that somewherein this country, dwell such a people, and since all men agree that youare wise, I have come to you to seek it. "

"_O ko_, " said Bosambo, under his breath. 

He fixed his eyes upon Bones, licked his lips a little, twiddled hisfingers a great deal, and began:

"Lord, it is written in a certain _Suru_ that wisdom comest from theEast, and that knowledge from the West, that courage comes from theNorth, and sin from the South. "

"Steady the Buffs, Bosambo!" murmured Bones, reprovingly, "I come fromthe South. "

He spoke in English, and Bosambo, resisting the temptation to retort inan alien tongue, and realizing perhaps that he would need all thestrength of his more extensive vocabulary to convince his hearer, continued in Bomongo:

"Now I tell you, " he went on solemnly, "if Sandi had come, Sandi, wholoves me better than his brother, and who knew my father and lived withhim for many years, and if Sandi spoke to me, saying 'Tell me, OBosambo, where is N'bosini?' I answer 'Lord, there are things which arewritten and which I know cannot be told, not even to you whom I love sodearly. '" He paused. 

Bones was impressed. He stared, wide-eyed, at the chief, tilted hishelmet back a little from his damp brow, folded his hands on his kneesand opened his mouth a little. 

"But it is you, O my lord, " said Bosambo, extravagantly, "who asks thisquestion. You, who have suddenly come amongst us and who are brighter tous than the moon and dearer to us than the land which grows corn;therefore must I speak to you that which is in my heart. If I lie, strike me down at your feet, for I am ready to die. "

He paused again, throwing out his arms invitingly, but Bones saidnothing. 

"Now this I tell you, " Bosambo shook his finger impressively, "that theN'bosini lives. "

"Where?" asked Bones, quickly. 

Already he saw himself lecturing before a crowded audience at the RoyalGeographical Society, his name in the papers, perhaps a Tibbett River ora Francis Augustus Mountain added to the sum of geographical knowledge. 

"It is in a certain place, " said Bosambo, solemnly, "which only I know, and I have sworn a solemn oath by many sacred things which I dare notbreak, by letting of blood and by rubbing in of salt, that I will notdivulge the secret. "

"O, tell me, Bosambo, " demanded Bones, leaning forward and speakingrapidly, "what manner of people are they who live in the city ofN'bosini?"

"They are men and women, " said Bosambo after a pause. 

"White or black?" asked Bones, eagerly. 

Bosambo thought a little. 

"White, " he said soberly, and was immensely pleased at the impression hecreated. 

"I thought so, " said Bones, excitedly, and jumped up, his eyes widerthan ever, his hands trembling as he pulled his note-book from hisbreast pocket. 

"I will make a book[3] of this, Bosambo, " he said, almost incoherently. "You shall speak slowly, telling me all things, for I must write inEnglish. "

[Footnote 3: "Book" means any written thing. A "Note" is a book. ]

He produced his pencil, squatted again, open book upon his knee, andlooked up at Bosambo to commence. 

"Lord, I cannot do this, " said Bosambo, his face heavy with gloom, "forhave I not told your lordship that I have sworn such oath? Moreover, " hesaid carelessly, "we who know the secret, have each hidden a large bagof silver in the ground, all in one place, and we have sworn that he whotells the secret shall lose his share. Now, by the Prophet, 'Eye-of-the-Moon' (this was one of the names which Bones had earned, for which his monocle was responsible), I cannot do this thing. "

"How large was this bag, Bosambo?" asked Bones, nibbling the end of hispencil. 

"Lord, it was so large, " said Bosambo. 

He moved his hands outward slowly, keeping his eyes fixed uponLieutenant Tibbetts till he read in them a hint of pain and dismay. Thenhe stopped. 

"So large, " he said, choosing the dimensions his hands had indicatedbefore Bones showed signs of alarm. "Lord, in the bag was silver worth ahundred English pounds. "

Bones, continuing his meal of cedar-wood, thought the matter out. 

It was worth it. 

"Is it a large city?" he asked suddenly. 

"Larger than the whole of the Ochori, " answered Bosambo impressively. 

"And tell me this, Bosambo, what manner of houses are these which standin the city of the N'bosini?"

"Larger than kings' huts, " said Bosambo. 

"Of stone?"

"Lord, of rock, so that they are like mountains, " replied Bosambo. 

Bones shut his book and got up. 

"This day I go back to M'ilitani, carrying word of the N'bosini, " saidhe, and Bosambo's jaw dropped, though Bones did not notice the fact. 

"Presently I will return, bringing with me silver of the value of ahundred English pounds, and you shall lead us to this strange city. "

"Lord, it is a far way, " faltered Bosambo, "across many swamps and overhigh mountains; also there is much sickness and death, wild beasts inthe forests and snakes in the trees and terrible storms of rain. "

"Nevertheless, I will go, " said Bones, in high spirits, "I, and youalso. "

"Master, " said the agitated Bosambo, "say no word of this to M'ilitani;if you do, be sure that my enemies will discover it and I shall bekilled. "

Bones hesitated and Bosambo pushed his advantage. 

"Rather, lord, " said he, "give me all the silver you have and let me goalone, carrying a message to the mighty chief of the N'bosini. PresentlyI will return, bringing with me strange news, such as no white lord, noteven Sandi, has received or heard, and cunning weapons which onlyN'bosini use and strange magics. Also will I bring you stories of theirriver, but I will go alone, though I die, for what am I that I shoulddeny myself from the service of your lordship?"

It happened that Bones had some twenty pounds on the _Zaire_, andBosambo condescended to come aboard to accept, with outstretched hands, this earnest of his master's faith. 

"Lord, " said he, solemnly, as he took a farewell of his benefactor, "though I lose a great bag of silver because I have betrayed certainmen, yet I know that, upon a day to come, you will pay me all that Idesire. Go in peace. "

It was a hilarious, joyous, industrious Bones who went down the river toheadquarters, occupying his time in writing diligently upon large sheetsof foolscap in his no less large unformed handwriting, setting forth allthat Bosambo had told him, and all the conclusions he might infer fromthe confidence of the Ochori king. 

He was bursting with his news. At first, he had to satisfy his chiefthat he had carried out his orders. 

Fortunately, Hamilton needed little convincing; his own spies had toldhim of the quietening down of certain truculent sections of his unrulycommunity and he was prepared to give his subordinate all the creditthat was due to him. 

It was after dinner and the inevitable rice pudding had been removed andthe pipes were puffing bluely in the big room of the Residency, whenBones unburdened himself. 

"Sir, " he began, "you think I am an ass. "

"I was not thinking so at this particular moment, " said Hamilton; "but, as a general consensus of my opinion concerning you, I have no fault tofind with it. "

"You think poor old Bones is a goop, " said Lieutenant Tibbetts with apitying smile, "and yet the name of poor old Bones is going down toposterity, sir. "

"That is posterity's look-out, " said Hamilton, offensively; but Bonesignored the rudeness. 

"You also imagine that there is no such land as the N'bosini, I think?"

Bones put the question with a certain insolent assurance which was veryirritating. 

"I not only think, but I know, " replied Hamilton. 

Bones laughed, a sardonic, knowing laugh. 

"We shall see, " he said, mysteriously; "I hope, in the course of a fewweeks, to place a document in your possession that will not onlysurprise, but which, I believe, knowing that beneath a somewhat uncouthmanner lies a kindly heart, will also please you. "

"Are you chucking up the army?" asked Hamilton with interest. 

"I have no more to say, sir, " said Bones. 

He got up, took his helmet from a peg on the wall, saluted and walkedstiffly from the Residency and was swallowed up in the darkness of theparade ground. 

A quarter of an hour later, there came a tap upon his door and MahometAli, his sergeant, entered. 

"Ah, Mah'met, " said Hamilton, looking up with a smile, "all things werequiet on the river my lord Tibbetts tells me. "

"Lord, everything was proper, " said the sergeant, "and all people cameto palaver humbly. "

"What seek you now?" asked Hamilton. 

"Lord, " said Mahomet, "Bosambo of the Ochori is, as you know, of myfaith, and by certain oaths we are as blood brothers. This happenedafter a battle in the year of Drought when Bosambo saved my life. "

"All this I know, " said Hamilton. 

"Now, lord, " said Mahomet Ali, "I bring you this. "

He took from the inside of his uniform jacket a little canvas bag, opened it slowly and emptied its golden contents upon the table. Therewas a small shining heap of sovereigns and a twisted note; this latterhe placed in Hamilton's hand and the Houssa captain unfolded it. It wasa letter in Arabic in Bosambo's characteristic and angular handwriting. 

 "From Bosambo, the servant of the Prophet, of the upper river in the city of the Ochori, to M'ilitani, his master. Peace on your house. 

 "In the name of God I send you this news. My lord with the moon-eye, making inquiries about the N'bosini, came to the Ochori and I told him much that he wrote down in a book. Now, I tell you, M'ilitani, that I am not to blame, because my lord with the moon-eye wrote down these things. Also he gave me twenty English pounds because I told him certain stories and this I send to you, that you shall put it in with my other treasures, making a mark in your book that this twenty pounds is the money of Bosambo of the Ochori, and that you will send me a book, saying that this money has come to you and is safely in your hands. Peace and felicity upon your house. 

 "Written in my city of Ochori and given to my brother, Mahomet Ali, who shall carry it to M'ilitani at the mouth of the river. "

"Poor old Bones!" said Hamilton, as he slowly counted the money. "Poorold Bones!" he repeated. 

He took an account book from his desk and opened it at a page marked"Bosambo. " His entry was significant. 

To a long list of credits which ran:

 Received £30. (Sale of Rubber. )

 Received £25. (Sale of Gum. )

 Received £130. (Sale of Ivory. )

he added:

 Received £20. (Author's Fees. )

CHAPTER IV

THE FETISH STICK

N'gori the Chief had a son who limped and lived. This was a marvellousthing in a land where cripples are severely discouraged and malformityis a sure passport for heaven. 

The truth is that M'fosa was born in a fishing village at a period oftime when all the energies of the Akasava were devoted to checking anddefeating the predatory raidings of the N'gombi, under that warlikechief G'osimalino, who also kept other nations on the defensive, andheld the river basin, from the White River, by the old king's territory, to as far south as the islands of the Lesser Isisi. 

When M'fosa was three months old, Sanders had come with a force ofsoldiers, had hanged G'osimalino to a high tree, had burnt his villagesand destroyed his crops and driven the remnants of his one-timeinvincible army to the little known recesses of the Itusi Forest. 

Those were the days of the Cakitas or government chiefs, and it wasunder the beneficent sway of one of these that M'fosa grew to manhood, though many attempts were made to lure him to unfrequented waterwaysand blind crocodile creeks where a lame man might be lost, and no one beany the wiser. 

Chief of the eugenists was Kobolo, the boy's uncle, and N'gori's ownbrother. This dissatisfied man, with several of M'fosa's cousins, oncepartially succeeded in kidnapping the lame boy, and they were on theirway to certain middle islands in the broads of the river to accomplishtheir scheme--which was to put out the eyes of M'fosa and leave him todie--when Sanders had happened along. 

He it was who set all the men of M'fosa's village to cut down a highpine tree--at an infernal distance from the village, and had men workingfor a week, trimming and planing that pine; and another week they spentcarrying the long stem through the forest (Sanders had devilishly chosenhis tree in the most inaccessible part of the woods), and yet anotherweek digging large holes and erecting it. 

For he was a difficult man to please. Broad backs ran sweat to pull andpush and hoist that great flagstaff (as it appeared with its strongpulley and smooth sides) to its place. And no sooner was it up than mylord Sandi had changed his mind and must have it in another place. Sanders would come back at intervals to see how the work wasprogressing. At last it was fixed, that monstrous pole, and the men ofthe village sighed thankfully. 

"Lord, tell me, " N'gori had asked, "why you put this great stick in theground?"

"This, " said Sanders, "is for him who injures M'fosa your son; upon thiswill I hang him. And if there be more men than one who take to the workof slaughter, behold! I will have yet another tree cut and hauled, andput in a place and upon that will I hang the other man. All men shallknow this sign, the high stick as my fetish; and it shall watch the evilhearts and carry me all thoughts, good and evil. And then I tell you, that such is its magic, that if needs be, it shall draw me from the endof the world to punish wrong. "

This is the story of the fetish stick of the Akasava and of how it cameto be in its place. 

None did hurt to M'fosa, and he grew to be a man, and as he grew and hisfather became first counsellor, then petty chief, and, at last, paramount chief of the nation, M'fosa developed in hauteur andbitterness, for this high pole rainwashed, and sun-burnt, was areminder, not of the strong hand that had been stretched out to savehim, but of his own infirmity. 

And he came to hate it, and by some curious perversion to hate the manwho had set it up. 

Most curious of all to certain minds, he was the first of those whocondemned, and secretly slew, the unfortunates, who either came into theworld hampered by disfigurement, or who, by accident, were unfitted forthe great battle. 

He it was who drowned Kibusi the woodman, who lost three fingers by theslipping of the axe; he was the leader of the young men who fell uponthe boy Sandilo-M'goma, who was crippled by fire; and though the fetishstood a menace to all, reading thoughts and clothed with authority, yetM'fosa defied spirits and went about his work reckless of consequence. 

When Sanders had gone home, and it seemed that law had ceased to be, N'gori (as I have shown) became of a sudden a bold and fearless man, furbished up his ancient grievances and might have brought trouble tothe land, but for a watchful Bosambo. 

This is certain, however, that N'gori himself was a good-enough man atheart, and if there was evil in his actions be sure that behind himprompting, whispering, subtly threatening him, was his malignant son, asinister figure with one eye half closed, and a figure that went limpingthrough the city with a twisted smile. 

An envoy came to the Ochori country bearing green branches of the Isisipalm, which signifies peace, and at the head of the mission--for missionit was--came M'fosa. 

"Lord Bosambo, " said the man who limped, "N'gori the chief, my father, has sent me, for he desires your friendship and help; also your lovingcountenance at his great feast. "

"Oh, oh!" said Bosambo, drily, "what king's feast is this?"

"Lord, " rejoined the other, "it is no king's feast, but a great dance ofrejoicing, for our crops are very plentiful, and our goats havemultiplied more than a man can count; therefore my father said: Go youto Bosambo of the Ochori, he who was once my enemy and now indeed myfriend. And say to him 'Come into my city, that I may honour you. '"

Bosambo thought. 

"How can your lord and father feast so many as I would bring?" he askedthoughtfully, as he sat, chin on palm, pondering the invitation, "for Ihave a thousand spearmen, all young men and fond of food. "

M'fosa's face fell. 

"Yet, Lord Bosambo, " said he, "if you come without your spearmen, butwith your counsellors only----"

Bosambo looked at the limper, through half-closed eyes. "I carry spearsto a Dance of Rejoicing, " he said significantly, "else I would not Danceor Rejoice. "

M'fosa showed his teeth, and his eyes were filled with hateful fires. Heleft the Ochori with bad grace, and was lucky to leave it at all, forcertain men of the country, whom he had put to torture (having capturedthem fishing in unauthorized waters), would have rushed him but forBosambo's presence. 

His other invitation was more successful. Hamilton of the Houssas was atthe Isisi city when the deputation called upon him. 

"Here's a chance for you, Bones, " he said. 

Lieutenant Tibbetts had spent a vain day, fishing in the river with arod and line, and was sprawling under a deck-chair under the awning ofthe bridge. 

"Would you like to be the guest of honour at N'gori's littlethanksgiving service?"

Bones sat up. 

"Shall I have to make a speech?" he asked cautiously. 

"You may have to respond for the ladies, " said Hamilton. "No, my dearchap, all you will have to do will be to sit round and look clever. "

Bones thought awhile. 

"I'll bet you're putting me on to a rotten job, " he accused, "but I'llgo. "

"I wish you would, " said Hamilton, seriously. "I can't get the hang ofM'fosa's mind, ever since you treated him with such leniency. "

"If you're goin' to dig up the grisly past, dear old sir, " said areproachful Bones, "if you insist recalling events which I hoped, sir, were hidden in oblivion, I'm going to bed. "

He got up, this lank youth, fixed his eyeglass firmly and glared at hissuperior. 

"Sit down and shut up, " said Hamilton, testily; "I'm not blaming you. And I'm not blaming N'gori. It's that son of his--listen to this. "

He beckoned the three men who had come down from the Akasava as bearersof the invitation. 

"Say again what your master desires, " he said. 

"Thus speaks N'gori, and I talk with his voice, " said the spokesman, "that you shall cut down the devil-stick which Sandi planted in ourmidst, for it brings shame to us, and also to M'fosa the son of ourmaster. "

"How may I do this?" asked Hamilton, "I, who am but the servant ofSandi? For I remember well that he put the stick there to make a greatmagic. "

"Now the magic is made, " said the sullen headman; "for none of ourpeople have died the death since Sandi set it up. "

"And dashed lucky you've been, " murmured Bones. 

"Go back to your master and tell him this, " said Hamilton. "Thus saysM'ilitani, my lord Tibbetti will come on your feast day and you shallhonour him; as for the stick, it stands till Sandi says it shall notstand. The palaver is finished. "

He paced up and down the deck when the men had gone, his hands behindhim, his brows knit in worry. 

"Four times have I been asked to cut down Sanders' pole, " he musedaloud. "I wonder what the idea is?"

"The idea?" said Bones, "the idea, my dear old silly old fellow, isn'tit as plain as your dashed old nose? They don't want it!"

Hamilton looked down at him. 

"What a brain you must have, Bones!" he said admiringly. "I often wonderyou don't employ it. "

II

By the Blue Pool in the forest there is a famous tree gifted withcertain properties. It is known in the vernacular of the land, and Itranslate it literally, "The-tree-that-has-no-echo-and-eats-up-sound. "Men believe that all that is uttered beneath its twisted branches may beremembered, but not repeated, and if one shouts in its deadening shade, even they who stand no farther than a stride from its furthermoststretch of branch or leaf, will hear nothing. 

Therefore is the Silent Tree much in favour for secret palaver, such asN'gori and his limping son attended, and such as the Lesser Isisi cameto fearfully. 

N'gori, who might be expected to take a very leading part in thediscussion which followed the meeting, was, in fact, the most timorousof those who squatted in the shadow of the huge cedar. 

Full of reservations, cautions, doubts and counsels of discretion wasN'gori till his son turned on him, grinning as his wont when in hisleast pleasant mood. 

"O, my father, " said he softly, "they say on the river that men who dieswiftly say no more than 'wait' with their last breath; now I tell youthat all my young men who plot secretly with me, are for choppingyou--but because I am like a god to them, they spare you. "

"My son, " said N'gori uneasily, "this is a very high palaver, for manychiefs have risen and struck at the Government, and always Sandi hascome with his soldiers, and there have been backs that have been sorefor the space of a moon, and necks that have been sore for this time, "he snapped finger, "and then have been sore no more. "

"Sandi has gone, " said M'fosa. 

"Yet his fetish stands, " insisted the old man; "all day and all nighthis dreadful spirit watches us; for this we have all seen that the verylightnings of M'shimba M'shamba run up that stick and do it no harm. Also M'ilitani and Moon-in-the-Eye----"

"They are fools, " a counsellor broke in. 

"Lord M'ilitani is no fool, this I know, " interrupted a fourth. 

"Tibbetti comes--and brings no soldiers. Now I tell you my mind thatSandi's fetish is dead--as Sandi has passed from us, and this is thesign I desire--I and my young men. We shall make a killing palaver inthe face of the killing stick, and if Sandi lives and has not lied tous, he shall come from the end of the world as he said. "

He rose up from the ground. There was no doubt now who ruled theAkasava. 

"The palaver is finished, " he said, and led the way back to the city, his father meekly following in the rear. 

Two days later Bones arrived at the city of the Akasava, bringing withhim no greater protection than a Houssa orderly afforded. 

III

On a certain night in September Mr. Commissioner Sanders was the guestof the Colonial Secretary at his country seat in Berkshire. 

Sanders, who was no society man, either by training or by inclination, would have preferred wandering aimlessly about the brilliantly lightedstreets of London, but the engagement was a long-standing one. In asense he was a lion against his will. His name was known, people hadwritten of his character and his sayings; he had even, to his ownamazement, delivered a lecture before the members of the EthnologicalSociety on "Native Folk-lore, " and had emerged from the ordealtriumphantly. The guests of Lord Castleberry found Sanders a shy, silentman who could not be induced to talk of the land he loved so dearly. They might have voted him a bore, but for the fact that he so completelyeffaced himself they had little opportunity for forming so definite ajudgment. 

It was on the second night of his visit to Newbury Grange that they hadcornered him in the billiard-room. It was the beautiful daughter of LordCastleberry who, with the audacity of youth, forced him, metaphoricallyspeaking, into a corner, from whence there was no escape. 

"We've been very patient, Mr. Sanders, " she pouted; "we are all dying tohear of your wonderful country, and Bosambo, and fetishes and things, and you haven't said a word. "

"There is little to say, " he smiled; "perhaps if I told you--somethingabout fetishes... ?"

There was a chorus of approval. 

Sanders had gained enough courage from his experience before theEthnological Society, and began to talk. 

"Wait, " said Lady Betty; "let's have all these glaring lights out--theylimit our imagination. "

There was a click, and, save for one bracket light behind Sanders, theroom was in darkness. He was grateful to the girl, and well rewarded herand the party that sat round on chairs, on benches around the edge ofthe billiard-table, listening. He told them stories ... Curious, unbelievable; of ghost palavers, of strange rites, of mysteriousmessages carried across the great space of forests. 

"Tell us about fetishes, " said the girl's voice. 

Sanders smiled. There rose to his eyes the spectacle of a hot and wearypeople bringing in a giant tree through the forest, inch by inch. 

And he told the story of the fetish of the Akasava. 

"And I said, " he concluded, "that I would come from the end of theworld----"

He stopped suddenly and stared straight ahead. In the faint light theysaw him stiffen like a setter. 

"What is wrong?"

Lord Castleberry was on his feet, and somebody clicked on the lights. 

But Sanders did not notice. 

He was looking towards the end of the room, and his face was set andhard. 

"O, M'fosa, " he snarled, "O, dog!"

They heard the strange staccato of the Bomongo tongue and wondered. 

 * * * * *

Lieutenant Tibbetts, helmetless, his coat torn, his lip bleeding, offered no resistance when they strapped him to the smooth high pole. Almost at his feet lay the dead Houssa orderly whom M'fosa had struckdown from behind. 

In a wide circle, their faces half revealed by the crackling fire whichburnt in the centre, the people of the Akasava city looked onimpressively. 

N'gori, the chief, his brows all wrinkled in terror, his shaking handsat his mouth in a gesture of fear, was no more than a spectator, for hismasterful son limped from side to side, consulting his counsellors. 

Presently the men who had bound Bones stepped aside, their workcompleted, and M'fosa came limping across to his prisoners. 

"Now, " he mocked. "Is it hard for you this fetish stick which Sandi hasplaced?"

"You're a low cad, " said Bones, dropping into English in his wrath. "You're a low, beastly bounder, an' I'm simply disgusted with you. "

"What does he say?" they asked M'fosa. 

"He speaks to his gods in his own tongue, " answered the limper; "for heis greatly afraid. "

Lieutenant Tibbetts went on:

"Hear, " said he in fluent and vitriolic Bomongo--for he was using thatfisher dialect which he knew so much better than the more sonoroustongue of the Upper River--"O hear, eater of fish, O lame dog, Onameless child of a monkey!"

M'fosa's lips went up one-sidedly. 

"Lord, " said he softly, "presently you shall say no more, for I will cutyour tongue out that you shall be lame of speech ... Afterwards I willburn you and the fetish stick, so that you all tumble together. "

"Be sure you will tumble into hell, " said Bones cheerfully, "and thatquickly, for you have offended Sandi's Ju-ju, which is powerful andterrible. "

If he could gain time--time for some miraculous news to come toHamilton, who, blissfully unconscious of the treachery to hissecond-in-command, was sleeping twenty miles downstream--unconscious, too, of the Akasava fleet of canoes which was streaming towards hislittle steamer. 

Perhaps M'fosa guessed his thoughts. 

"You die alone, Tibbetti, " he said, "though I planned a great death foryou, with Bosambo at your side; and in the matter of ju-jus, behold! youshall call for Sandi--whilst you have a tongue. "

He took from the raw-hide sheath that was strapped to the calf of hisbare leg, a short N'gombi knife, and drew it along the palm of his hand. 

"Call now, O Moon-in-the-Eye!" he scoffed. 

Bones saw the horror and braced himself to meet it. 

"O Sandi!" cried M'fosa, "O planter of ju-ju, come quickly!"

"Dog!"

M'fosa whipped round, the knife dropping from his hand. 

He knew the voice, was paralysed by the concentrated malignity in thevoice. 

There stood Sandi--not half a dozen paces from him. 

A Sandi in strange black clothing with a big white-breasted shirt ... But Sandi, hard-eyed and threatening. 

"Lord, lord!" he stammered, and put up his hands to his eyes. 

He looked again--the figure had vanished. 

"Magic!" he mumbled, and lurched forward in terror and hate to finishhis work. 

Then through the crowd stalked a tall man. 

A rope of monkeys' tails covers one broad shoulder; his left arm andhand were hidden by an oblong shield of hide. 

In one hand he held a slim throwing spear and this he balanceddelicately. 

"I am Bosambo of the Ochori, " he said magnificently and unnecessarily;"you sent for me and I have come--bringing a thousand spears. "

M'fosa blinked, but said nothing. 

"On the river, " Bosambo went on, "I met many canoes that went to akilling--behold!"

It was the head of M'fosa's lieutenant, who had charge of the surpriseparty. 

For a moment M'fosa looked, then turned to leap, and Bosambo's spearcaught him in mid-air. 

"Jolly old Bosambo!" muttered Bones, and fainted. 

 * * * * *

Four thousand miles away Sanders was offering his apologies to astartled company. 

"I could have sworn I saw--something, " he said, and he told no morestories that night. 

CHAPTER V

A FRONTIER AND A CODE

To understand this story you must know that at one point of Ochoriborderline, the German, French, and Belgian territories shoot threenarrow tongues that form, roughly, the segments of a half-circle. Whether the German tongue is split in the middle by N'glili River, sothat it forms a flattened broad arrow, with the central prong the riveris a moot point. We, in Downing Street, claim that the lower angle ofthis arrow is wholly ours, and that all the flat basin of the Field ofBlood (as they call it) is entitled to receive the shadow which aflapping Union Jack may cast. 

If Downing Street were to send that frantic code-wire to "Polonius" toHamilton in these days he could not obey the instructions, for reasonswhich I will give. As a matter of fact the code has now been changed, Lieutenant Tibbetts being mainly responsible for the alteration. 

Hamilton, in his severest mood, wrote a letter to Bones, and it is worthreproducing. 

That Bones was living a dozen yards from Captain Hamilton, and that theyshared a common mess-table, adds rather than distracts from theseriousness of the correspondence. The letter ran:

 "The Residency, "September 24th. 

 "From Officer commanding Houssas detachment Headquarters, to Officer commanding "B" company of Houssas. 

 "Sir, --

 "I have the honour to direct your attention to that paragraph of King's regulations which directs that an officer's sole attention should be concentrated upon executing the lawful commands of his superior. 

 "I have had occasion recently to correct a certain tendency on your part to employing War Department property and the servants of the Crown for your own special use. I need hardly point out to you that such conduct on your part is subversive to discipline and directly contrary to the spirit and letter of regulations. More especially would I urge the impropriety of utilizing government telegraph lines for the purpose of securing information regarding your gambling transactions. Matters have now reached a very serious crisis, and I feel sure that you will see the necessity for refraining from these breaches of discipline. 

 "I have the honour to be, sir, "Your obedient servant, "P. G. Hamilton, 'Captain. '"

When two white men, the only specimen of their race and class within aradius of hundreds of miles, are living together in an isolated post, they either hate or tolerate one another. The exception must always befound in two men of a similar service having similar objects to gain, and infused with a common spirit of endeavour. 

Fortunately neither Lieutenant Tibbetts nor his superior were longenough associated to get upon one another's nerves. 

Lieutenant Tibbetts received this letter while he was shaving, and cameacross the parade ground outrageously attired in his pyjamas and hishelmet. Clambering up the wooden stairs, his slippers flap-flappingacross the broad verandah, he burst into the chief's bedroom, interrupting a stern and frigid Captain Hamilton in the midst of hisearly morning coffee and roll. 

"Look here, old sport, " said Bones, indignantly waving a frothy shavingbrush at the other, "what the dooce is all this about?"

He displayed a crumpled letter. 

"Lieutenant Tibbetts, " said Hamilton of the Houssas severely, "have youno sense of decency?"

"Sense of decency, my dear old thing!" repeated Bones. "I am simply fullof it. That is why I have come. "

A terrible sight was Bones at that early hour with the open pyjamajacket showing his scraggy neck, with his fish mouth drooping dismally, his round, staring eyes and his hair rumpled up, one frantic tuft atthe back standing up in isolation. 

Hamilton stared at him, and it was the stern stare of a disciplinarian. But Bones was not to be put out of countenance by so small a thing as anicy glance. 

"There is no sense in getting peevish with me, old Ham, " he said, squatting down on the nearest chair; "this is what I call a stupid, officious, unnecessary letter. Why this haughtiness? Why these crushinginferences? Why this unkindness to poor old Bones?"

"The fact of it is, Bones, " said Hamilton, accepting the situation, "youare spending too much of your time in the telegraph station. "

Bones got up slowly. 

"Captain Hamilton, sir!" he said reproachfully, "after all I have donefor you. "

"Beyond selling me one of your beastly sweepstake tickets for fiveshillings, " said Hamilton, unpleasantly; "a ticket which I dare say youhave taken jolly good care will not win a prize, I fail to see in whatmanner you have helped me. Now, Bones, you will have to pay moreattention to your work. There is no sense in slacking; we will haveSanders back here before we know where we are, and when he starts nosinground there will be a lot of trouble. Besides, you are shirking. "

"Me!" gasped Bones, outraged. "Me--shirking? You forget yourself, sir!"

Even Bones could not be dignified with a lather brush in one hand and ahalf-shaven cheek, testifying to the hastiness of his departure fromhis quarters. 

"I only wish to say, sir, " said Bones, "that during the period I havehad the honour to serve under your command I have settled possibly morepalavers of a distressingly ominous character than the averageCommissioner is called upon to settle in the course of a year. "

"As you have created most of the palavers yourself, " said Hamiltonunkindly, "I do not deny this. In other words, you have got yourselfinto more tangles, and you've had to crawl out more often. "

"It is useless appealing to your better nature, sir, " said Bones. 

He saluted with the hand that held the lather brush, turned about likean automaton, tripped over the mat, recovered himself with an effort, and preserving what dignity a man can preserve in pink-striped pyjamasand a sun helmet, stalked majestically back to his quarters. Half-wayacross he remembered something and came doubling back, clattering intoHamilton's room unceremoniously. 

"There is one thing I forgot to say, " he said, "about those sweepstaketickets. If I happen to be killed on any future expedition that you maysend me, you will understand that the whole of my moveable property isyours, absolutely. And I may add, sir, " he said at the doorway with onehand on the lintel ready to execute a strategic flank movement out ofrange, "that with this legacy I offer you my forgiveness for theperfectly beastly time you have given me. Good morning, sir. "

There was a commanding officer's parade of Houssas at noon. It was notuntil he stalked across the square and clicked his heels together as hereported the full strength of his company present that Hamilton saw hissubordinate again. 

The parade over, Bones went huffily to his quarters. 

He was hurt. To be told he had been shirking his duty touched a verytender and sensitive spot of his. 

In preparation for the movement which he had expected to make he hadkept his company on the move for a fortnight. For fourteen terrible daysin all kinds of weather, he had worked like a native in the forest; withsham fights and blank cartridge attacks upon imaginary positions, withscaling of stockades and building of bridges--all work at which his soulrevolted--to be told at the end he had shirked his work!

Certainly he had come down to headquarters more often perhaps than wasnecessary, but then he was properly interested in the draw of acontinental sweepstake which might, with any kind of luck, place him inthe possession of a considerable fortune. Hamilton was amiable at lunch, even communicative at dinner, and for him rather serious. 

For if the truth be told he was desperately worried. The cause was, asit had often been with Sanders, that French-German-Belgian territorywhich adjoins the Ochori country. All the bad characters, not only theFrench of the Belgian Congo, but of the badly-governed German lands--allthe tax resisters, the murderers, and the criminals of every kind, butthe lawless contingents of every nation, formed a floating nomadicpopulation in the tree-covered hills which lay beyond the countrygoverned by Bosambo. 

Of late there had been a larger break-away than usual. A strong force ofrebellious natives was reported to be within a day's march of the Ochoriboundary. This much Hamilton knew. But he had known of such occurrencesbefore; not once, but a score of times had alarming news come from theFrench border. 

He had indeed made many futile trips into the heart of the Ochoricountry. 

Forced marches through little known territory, and long and tiring waitsfor the invader that never came, had dulled his senses of apprehension. He had to take a chance. The Administrator's office would warn him fromtime to time, and ask him conventionally to make his arrangements tomeet all contingencies and Sanders would as conventionally reply thatthe condition of affairs on the Ochori border was engaging his mostearnest attention. 

"What is the use of worrying about it now?" asked Bones at dinner. 

Hamilton shook his head. 

"There was a certain magic in old Sanders' name, " he said. 

Bones' lips pursed. 

"My dear old chap, " he said, "there is a bit of magic in mine. "

"I have not noticed it, " said Hamilton. 

"I am getting awfully popular as a matter of fact, " said Bonescomplacently. "The last time I was up the river, Bosambo came ten milesdown stream to meet me and spend the day. "

"Did you lose anything?" asked Hamilton ungraciously. 

Bones thought. 

"Now you come to mention it, " he said slowly, "I did lose quite a lot ofthings, but dear old Bosambo wouldn't play a dirty trick on a pal. Iknow Bosambo. "

"If there is one thing more evident than another, " said Hamilton, "it isthat you do not know Bosambo. "

Hamilton was wakened at three in the next morning by the telegraphoperator. It was a "clear the line" message, coded from headquarters, and half awake he went into Sanders' study and put it into plainEnglish. 

"Hope you are watching the Ochori border, " it ran, "representations fromFrench Government to the effect that a crossing is imminent. "

He pulled his mosquito boots on over his pyjamas, struggled into a coatand crossed to Lieutenant Tibbetts' quarters. 

Bones occupied a big hut at the end of the Houssa lines, and Hamiltonwoke him by the simple expedient of flashing his electric hand lamp inhis face. 

"I have had a telegram, " he said, and Bones leapt out of bed wide awakein an instant. 

"I knew jolly well I would draw a horse, " he said exultantly. "I had adream----"

"Be serious, you feather-minded devil. "

With that Hamilton handed him the telegram. 

Bones read it carefully, and interpreted any meanings into itsconstruction which it could not possibly bear. 

"What are you going to do?" he asked. 

"There is only one thing to do, " said Hamilton. "We shall have to takeall the men we can possibly muster, and go north at daybreak. "

"Spoken like a jolly old Hannibal, " said Bones heartily, and smacked hissuperior on the back. A shrill bugle call aroused the sleeping lines, and Hamilton went back to his quarters to make preparations for thejourney. In the first grey light of dawn he flew three pigeons toBosambo, and the message they carried about their red legs was brief. 

"Take your fighting regiments to the edge of Frenchi land; presently Iwill come with my soldiers and support you. Let no foreigner pass onyour life and on your head. "

When the rising sun tipped the tops of the palms with gold, and the wildworld was filled with the sound of the birds, the _Zaire_, her decksalive with soldiers, began her long journey northward. 

Just before the boat left, Hamilton received a further message from theAdministrator. It was in plain English, some evidence of Sir RobertSanleigh's haste. 

 "Confidential: This matter on the Ochori border extremely delicate. Complete adequate arrangements to keep in touch with me. "

For one moment Hamilton conceived the idea of leaving Bones behind todeal with the telegram and come along. A little thought, however, convinced him of the futility of this method. For one thing he wouldwant every bit of assistance he could get, and although Bones had hisdisadvantages he was an excellent soldier, and a loyal and gallantcomrade. 

It might be necessary for Hamilton to divide up his forces; in whichcase he could hardly dispense with Lieutenant Tibbetts, and he explainedunnecessarily to Bones:

"I think you are much better under my eye where I can see what you'redoing. "

"Sir, " said Bones very seriously, "it is not what I do, it is what Ithink. If you could only see my brain at work----"

"Ha, ha!" said Hamilton rudely. 

For at least three days relations were strained between the twoofficers. Bones was a man who admitted at regular intervals that he wasunduly sensitive. He had explained this disadvantage to Hamilton atvarious times, but the Houssa stolidly refused to remember the fact. 

Most of the way up the river Hamilton attended to his businessnavigation--he knew the stream very well--whilst Bones, in a cabin whichhad been rigged up for him in the after part of the ship, playedPatience, and by a systematic course of cheating himself was able toaccomplish marvels. They found the Ochori city deserted save for astrong guard, for Bosambo had marched the day previous; sending a warcall through the country. 

He had started with a thousand spears, and his force was growing insnowball fashion as he progressed through the land. The great road whichNotiki, the northern chief, had started by way of punishment wasbeginning to take shape. Bosambo had moved with incredible swiftness. 

Too swift, indeed, for a certain Angolian-Congo robber who had headed avillainous pilgrimage to a land which, as he had predicted, flowed withmilk and honey; was guarded by timorous men and mainly populated by slimand beautiful maidens. The Blue Books on this migration gave this man'sname as Kisini, but he was in fact an Angolian named Bizaro--a compositename which smacks suspiciously of Portuguese influence. 

Many times had the unruly people and the lawless bands which occupiedthe forest beyond the Ochori threatened to cross into British territory. But the dangers of the unknown, the awful stories of a certain whitelord who was swift to avenge and monstrously inquisitive had held them. Year after year there had grown up tribes within tribes, tiny armedcamps that had only this in common, that they were outside the lawsfrom which they had fled, and that somewhere to the southward and theeastward were strong forces flying the tricolour of France or the yellowstar of the Belgian Congo, ready to belch fire at them, if they so muchas showed their flat noses. 

It would have needed a Napoleon to have combined all the conflictingforces, to have lulled all the mutual suspicions, and to have mouldedthese incompatible particles into a whole; but, Bizaro, like manyanother vain and ambitious man, had sought by means of a great palaverto produce a feeling of security sufficiently soothing to the nerves andsusceptibilities of all elements, to create something like a nationalityof these scattered remnants of the nations. 

And though he failed, he did succeed in bringing together four or fiveof the camps, and it was this news carried to the French Governor byspies, transmitted to Downing Street, and flashed back again to theCoast, which set Hamilton and his Houssas moving; which brought aregiment of the King's African Rifles to the Coast ready to reinforcethe earlier expedition, and which (more to the point) had put Bosambo'swar drums rumbling from one end of the Ochori to the other. 

Bizaro, mustering his force, came gaily through the sun-splashed aislesof the forest, his face streaked hideously with camwood, his bigelephant spear twirled between his fingers, and behind him straggled hiscosmopolitan force. 

There were men from the Congo and the French Congo; men from Germanlands; from Angola; wanderers from far-off Barotseland, who had driftedon to the Congo by the swift and yellow Kasai. There were hunters fromthe forests of far-off Bongindanga where the _okapi_ roams. For eachman's presence in that force there was good and sinister reason, forthese were no mere tax-evaders, poor, starved wretches fleeing from therule which _Bula Matadi_[4] imposed. There was a blood price on almostevery head, and in a dozen prisons at Boma, at Brazaville, andEquatorville, and as far south as St. Paul de Loduda, there wereleg-irons which had at some time or other fitted their scarred ankles. 

[Footnote 4: The stone breaker, the native name for the CongoGovernment. ]

Now there are four distinct physical features which mark the border linebetween the border land and the foreign territory. Mainly the line is apurely imaginary one, not traceable save by the most delicateinstruments--a line which runs through a tangle of forest. 

But the most noticeable crossing place is N'glili. [5]

[Footnote 5: Probably a corruption of the word "English. "]

Here a little river, easily fordable, and not more than a dozen spearlengths across flows from one wood into another. Between the two woodsis a clear space of thick grass and shrub. In the spring of the year thebanks of the stream are white with arum-lilies, and the field beyond, at a later period, is red with wild anemone. 

The dour fugitives on the other side of the stream have a legend thatthose who safely cross the "Field of Blood"--so they call theanemone-sprinkled land beyond--without so much as crushing a flower mayclaim sanctuary under the British flag. 

So that when Bizaro sighted the stream, and the two tall trees thatflanked the ford, from afar off and said: "To-day we will walk betweenthe flowers, " he was signifying the definite character of his plans. 

"Master, " said one of the more timid of his muster, when they had haltedfor a rest in sight of the promised land, "what shall we do when we cometo these strange places?"

"We shall defeat all manner of men, " said Bizaro optimistically. "Afterwards they shall come and sue for peace, and they shall give us awide land where we may build us huts and sow our corn. And they alsowill give us women, and we shall settle in comfort, and I will be chiefover you. And, growing with the moons, in time I shall make you a greatnation. "

They might have crossed the stream that evening and committed themselvesirrevocably to their invasion. Bizaro was a criminal, and a lazy man, and he decided to sleep where he was--an act fatal to the smoothperformance of his enterprise, for when in the early hours of themorning he marched his horde to the N'glili river he found two thousandspears lining the opposite bank, and they were under a chief who was atonce insolent and unmoved by argument. 

"O chief, " said Bosambo pleasantly, "you do not cross my beautifulflowers to-day. "

"Lord, " said Bizaro humbly, "we are poor men who desire a new land. "

"That you shall have, " said Bosambo grimly, "for I have sent my warriorsto dig big holes wherein you may take your rest in this land youdesire. "

An unhappy Bizaro carried his six hundred spears slowly back to the landfrom whence he had come and found on return to the mixed tribes that hehad unconsciously achieved a miracle. For the news of armed men by theN'glili river carried terror to these evil men--they found themselvesbetween two enemies and chose the force which they feared least. 

On the fourth day following his interview with Bosambo, Bizaro led fivethousand desperate men to the ford and there was a sanguinary battlewhich lasted for the greater part of the morning and was repeated atsundown. 

Hamilton brought his Houssas up in the nick of time, when one wing ofBosambo's force was being thrust back and when Bizaro's desperateadventurers had gained the Ochori bank. Hamilton came through theclearing, and formed his men rapidly. 

Sword in hand, in advance of the glittering bayonets, Bones racedacross the red field, and after one brief and glorious mêlée the invaderwas driven back, and a dropping fire from the left, as the Houssas shotsteadily at the flying enemy, completed the disaster to Bizaro's force. 

"That settles _that_!" said Hamilton. 

He had pitched his camp on the scene of his exploit, the bivouac firesof the Houssas gleamed redly amongst the anemones. 

"Did you see me in action?" asked Bones, a little self-consciously. 

"No, I didn't notice anything particularly striking about the fight inyour side of the world, " said Hamilton. 

"I suppose you did not see me bowl over a big Congo chap?" asked Bones, carelessly, as he opened a tin of preserved tongue. "Two at once Ibowled over, " he repeated. 

"What do you expect me to do?" asked Hamilton unpleasantly. "Get up andcheer, or recommend you for the Victoria Cross or something?"

Bones carefully speared a section of tongue from the open tin before hereplied. 

"I had not thought about the Victoria Cross, to tell you the truth, " headmitted; "but if you feel that you ought to recommend me for somethingor other for conspicuous courage in the face of the enemy, do not letyour friendship stand in the way. "

"I will not, " said Hamilton. 

There was a little pause, then without raising his eyes from the task inhand which was at that precise moment the covering of a biscuit with alarge and generous layer of marmalade, Bones went on. 

"I practically saved the life of one of Bosambo's headmen. He was on theground and three fellows were jabbing at him. The moment they saw methey dropped their spears and fled. "

"I expect it was your funny nose that did the trick, " said Hamiltonunimpressed. 

"I stood there, " Bones went on loftily ignoring the gratuitous insult, "waiting for anything that might turn up; exposed, dear old fellow, toevery death-dealing missile, but calmly directing, if you will allow meto say so, the tide of battle. It was, " he added modestly, "one of thebravest deeds I ever saw. "

He waited, but Hamilton had his mouth full of tongue sandwich. 

"If you mention me in dispatches, " Bones went on suggestively. 

"Don't worry--I shan't, " said Hamilton. 

"But if you did, " persisted Lieutenant Tibbetts, poising his stickybiscuit, "I can only say----"

"The marmalade is running down your sleeve, " said Hamilton; "shut up, Bones, like a good chap. "

Bones sighed. 

"The fact of it is, Hamilton, " he was frank enough to say, "I have beenserving so far without hope of reward and scornful of honour, but now Ihave reached the age and the position in life where I feel I am entitledto some slight recognition to solace my declining years. "

"How long have you been in the army?" asked Hamilton, curiously. 

"Eighteen months, " replied Bones; "nineteen months next week, and it's ajolly long time, I can tell you, sir. "

Leaving his dissatisfied subordinate, Hamilton made the round of thecamp. The red field, as he called it, was in reality a low-lying meadow, which rose steeply to the bank of the river on the one side and moresteeply--since it first sloped downward in that direction--to the Ochoriforest, two miles away. He made this discovery with a little feeling ofalarm. He knew something of native tactics, and though his scouts hadreported that the enemy was effectually routed, and that the nearestbody was five miles away, he put a strong advance picquet on the otherside of the river, and threw a wide cordon of sentries about the camp. Especially he apportioned Abiboo, his own sergeant, the task of watchingthe little river which flowed swiftly between its orderly banks past thesunken camp. For two days Abiboo watched and found nothing to report. 

Not so the spies who were keeping watch upon the moving remnants ofBizaro's army. 

They came with the news that the main body had mysteriously disappeared. To add to Hamilton's anxiety he received a message by way ofheadquarters and the Ochori city from the Administrator. 

 "Be prepared at the first urgent message from myself to fall back on the Ochori city. German Government claim that whole of country for two miles north of river N'glili is their territory. Most delicate situation. International complications feared. Rely on your discretion, but move swiftly if you receive orders. "

"Leave this to me, " said Bones when Hamilton read the message out; "didI ever tell you, sir, that I was intended for the diplomaticservice----"

 * * * * *

The truth about the Ochori border has never been thoroughly exposed. Ifyou get into your mind the fact that the Imperialists of four nationswere dreaming dreams of a trans-African railway which was to tap theresources of the interior, and if you remember that each patrioticdreamer conceived a different kind of railway according to hisnationality and that they only agreed upon one point, namely, that theline must point contiguous with the Ochori border, you may understanddimly some reason for the frantic claim that that little belt ofterritory, two miles wide, was part of the domain of each and every oneof the contestants. 

When the news was flashed to Europe that a party of British Houssas wereholding the banks of the N'glili river, and had inflicted a loss upon aforce of criminals, the approval which civilization should rightly havebestowed upon Captain Hamilton and his heroic lieutenant was temperedlargely by the question as to whether Captain Hamilton and his Houssashad any right whatever to be upon "the red field. " And in consequencethe telegraph lines between Berlin and Paris and Paris and London andLondon and Brussels were kept fairly busy with passionate statements ofclaims couched in the stilted terminology of diplomacy. 

England could not recede from the position she had taken. This she saidin French and in German, and in her own perfidious tongue. She statedthis uncompromisingly, but at the same time sent secret orders towithdraw the force that was the bone of contention. This order she sooncountermanded. A certain speech delivered by a too voluble Belgianminister was responsible for the stiffening of her back, and HisExcellency the Administrator of the territory received officialinstructions in the middle of the night: "Tell Hamilton to stay where heis and hold border against all comers. "

This message was re-transmitted. 

Now there is in existence in the British Colonial Service, and in allbranches which affect the agents and the servants of the ColonialOffice, an emergency code which is based upon certain characters inShakespearean plays. 

I say "there is"; perhaps it would be better and more to the point if Isaid "there was, " since the code has been considerably amended. 

Thus, be he sub-inspector or commissioner, or chief of local nativepolice who receives the word "Ophelia, " he knows without consulting anybook that "Ophelia" means "unrest of natives reported in your district, please report"; or if it be "Polonius" it signifies to him--and this heknows without confirming his knowledge--that he must move steadilyforward. Or if it be "Banquo" he reads into it, "Hold your position tillfurther orders. " And "Banquo" was the word that the Administratortelegraphed. 

 * * * * *

Sergeant Abiboo had sat by the flowing N'glili river without noticingany slackening of its strength or challenging of its depth. 

There was reason for this. 

Bizaro, who was in the forest ten miles to the westward, and workingmoreover upon a piece of native strategy which natives the world overhad found successful, saw that it was unnecessary to dam the river anddivert the stream. 

Nature had assisted him to a marvellous degree. He had followed thestream through the forest until he reached a place where it was aquarter of a mile wide, so wide and so newly spread that the waterreached half-way up the trunks of the sodden and dying trees. 

Moreover, there was a bank through which a hundred men might cut abreach in a day or so, even though they went about their work mostleisurely, being constitutionally averse to manual labour. 

Bizaro was no engineer, but he had all the forest man's instincts ofwater-levels. There was a clear run down to the meadows beyond that, ashe said, he "smelt. "

"We will drown these dogs, " he said to his headman, "and afterwards wewill walk into the country and take it for our own. "

Hamilton had been alive to the danger of such an attack. He saw bycertain indications of the soil that this great shallow valley had beeninundated more than once, though probably many years had passed sincethe last overflow of water. Yet he could not move from where he hadplanted himself without risking the displeasure of his chief and withoutalso risking very serious consequences in other directions. 

Bosambo, frankly bored, was all for retiring his men to the comforts ofthe Ochori city. 

"Lord, why do we sit here?" he asked, "looking at this little streamwhich has no fish and at this great ugly country, when I have mybeautiful city for your lordship's reception, and dancing folk and greatfeasts?"

"A doocid sensible idea, " murmured Bones. 

"I wait for a book, " answered Hamilton shortly. "If you wish to go, youmay take your soldiers and leave me. "

"Lord, " said Bosambo, "you put shame on me, " and he looked his reproach. 

"I am really surprised at you, Hamilton, " murmured Bones. 

"Keep your infernal comments to yourself, " snapped his superior. "I tellyou I must wait for my instructions. "

He was a silent man for the rest of the evening, and had settled himselfdown in his canvas chair to doze away the night, when a travel-stainedmessenger came from the Ochori and he brought a telegram of one word. 

Hamilton looked at it, he looked too with a frown at the figures thatpreceded it. 

"And what you mean, " he muttered, "the Lord knows!"

The word, however, was sufficiently explicit. A bugle call brought theHoussas into line and the tapping of Bosambo's drums assembled hiswarriors. 

Within half an hour of the receipt of the message Hamilton's force wason the move. 

They crossed the great stretch of meadow in the darkness and wereclimbing up towards the forest when a noise like thunder broke upontheir ears. 

Such a roaring, crashing, hissing of sound came nearer and nearer, increasing in volume every second. The sky was clear, and one swiftglance told Hamilton that it was not a storm he had to fear. And then itcame upon him, and he realized what this commotion meant. 

"Run!" he cried, and with one accord naked warriors and uniformedHoussas fled through the darkness to the higher ground. The water camerushing about Hamilton's ankles, one man slipped back again into theflood and was hauled out again by Bones, exclaiming loudly his own actlest it should have escaped the attention of his superior, and the partyreached safety without the loss of a man. 

"Just in time, " said Hamilton grimly. "I wonder if the Administratorknew this was going to happen?"

They came to the Ochori by easy marches, and Hamilton wrote a long wireto headquarters sending it on ahead by a swift messenger. 

It was a dispatch which cleared away many difficulties, for the disputedterritory was for everlasting under water, and where the "red field" hadblazed brilliantly was a calm stretch of river two miles wide filledwith strange silent brown objects that floated and bobbed to themovement of the tide. These were the men who in their folly had loosenedthe waters and died of their rashness. Most notable of these was Bizaro. 

There was a shock waiting for Hamilton when he reached the Ochori city. The wire from the Administrator was kindly enough and sufficientlyapproving to satisfy even an exigent Bones. "But, " it ran, "why did youretire in face of stringent orders to remain? I wired you 'Banquo. '"

Hamilton afterwards learnt that the messenger carrying this importantdispatch had passed his party in their retirement through the forest. 

"Banquo, " quoted Hamilton in amazement. "I received absoluteinstructions to retire. "

"Hard cheese, " said Bones, sympathetically. "His dear old Excellencywants a good talking to; but are you sure, dear old chap, that youhaven't made a mistake. "

"Here it is, " he said, "but I must confess that I don't understand thenumbers. "

He handed it to Bones. It read:

 "Mercutio 17178. "

Bones looked at it a moment, then gasped. He reached out his handsolemnly and grasped that of the astounded Hamilton. 

"Dear old fellow, " he said in a broken voice, "Congratulate me, I havedrawn a runner!"

"A runner?"

"A runner, dear old sport, " chortled Bones, "in the Cambridgeshire! Yousee I've got a ticket number seventeen, seventeen eight in my pocket, dear old friend! If Mercutio wins, " he repeated solemnly, "I will standyou the finest dinner that can be secured this side of Romano's. "

CHAPTER VI

THE SOUL OF THE NATIVE WOMAN

Mail day is ever a day of supreme interest for the young and for thematter of that for the middle-aged, too. Sanders hated mail days becausethe bulk of his correspondence had to do with Government, and Governmentnever sat down with a pen in its hand to wish Sanders many happy returnsof the day or to tell him scandalous stories about mutual friends. 

Rather the Government (by inference) told him scandalous stories abouthimself--of work not completed to the satisfaction of Downing Street--athoroughfare given to expecting miracles. 

Hamilton had a sister who wrote wittily and charmingly every week, andthere was another girl ... Still, two letters and a bright pink paper ortwo made a modest postbag by the side of Lieutenant Tibbetts' mail. 

There came to Bones every mail day a thick wad of letters and parcelsinnumerable, and he could sit at the big table for hours on end, whistling a little out of tune, mumbling incoherently. He had a trick ofcommenting upon his letters aloud, which was very disconcerting forHamilton. Bones wouldn't open a letter and get half-way through itbefore he began his commenting. 

"... Poor soul ... Dear! dear! ... What a silly old ass ... Ah, wouldyou ... Don't do it, Billy.... "

To Hamilton's eyes the bulk of correspondence rather increased thandiminished. 

"You must owe a lot of money, " he said one day. 

"Eh!"

"All these... !" Hamilton opened his hand to a floor littered withdiscarded envelopes. "I suppose they represent demands.... "

"Dear lad, " said Bones brightly, "they represent popularity--I'mimmensely popular, sir, " he gulped a little as he fished out two daintyenvelopes from the pile before him; "you may not have experienced thesensation, but I assure you, sir, it's pleasing, it's doocidlypleasing!"

"Complacent ass, " said Hamilton, and returned to his own correspondence. 

Systematically Bones went through his letters, now and again consultinga neat little morocco-covered note-book. (It would appear he kept a verycareful record of every letter he wrote home, its contents, the date ofits dispatch, and the reply thereto. ) He had reduced letter writing to apassion, spent most of his evenings writing long epistles to hisfriends--mostly ladies of a tender age--and had incidentally acquired areputation in the Old Country for his brilliant powers of narrative. 

This, Hamilton discovered quite by accident. It would appear thatHamilton's sister had been on a visit--was in fact on the visit when shewrote one letter which so opened Hamilton's eyes--and mentioned that shewas staying with some great friends of Bones'. She did not, of course, call him "Bones, " but "Mr. Tibbetts. "

"I should awfully like to meet him, " she wrote, "he must be a veryinteresting man. Aggie Vernon had a letter from him yesterday wherein hedescribed his awful experience lion-hunting. 

"To be chased by a lion and caught and then carried to the beast's lairmust have been awful!

"Mr. Tibbetts is very modest about it in his letter, and beyond tellingAggie that he escaped by sticking his finger in the lion's eye he sayslittle of his subsequent adventure. By the way, Pat, Aggie tells me thatyou had a bad bout of fever and that Mr. Tibbetts carried you for somemiles to the nearest doctor. I wish you wouldn't keep these things sosecret, it worries me dreadfully unless you tell me--even the worstabout yourself. I hope your interesting friend returned safely from hisdangerous expedition into the interior--he was on the point of leavingwhen his letter was dispatched and was quite gloomy about hisprospects.... "

Hamilton read this epistle over and over again, then he sent for Bones. 

That gentleman came most cheerfully, full of fine animal spirits, and----

"Just had a letter about you, Bones, " said Hamilton carelessly. 

"About me, sir!" said Bones; "from the War Office--I'm not beingdecorated or anything!" he asked anxiously. 

"No--nothing so tragic; it was a letter from my sister, who is stayingwith the Vernons. "

"Oh!" said Bones going suddenly red. 

"What a modest devil you are, " said the admiring Hamilton, "having alion hunt all to yourself and not saying a word about it to anybody. "

Bones made curious apologetic noises. 

"I didn't know there were any lions in the country, " pursued Hamiltonremorselessly. "Liars, yes! But lions, no! I suppose you brought themwith you--and I suppose you know also, Bones, that it is considered inlion-hunting circles awfully rude to stick your finger into a lion'seye? It is bad sportsmanship to say the least, and frightfully painfulfor the lion. "

Bones was making distressful grimaces. 

"How would you like a lion to stick his finger in _your_ eye?" askedHamilton severely; "and, by the way, Bones, I have to thank you. "

He rose solemnly, took the hand of his reluctant and embarrassed secondand wrung. 

"Thank you, " said Hamilton, in a broken voice, "for saving my life. "

"Oh, I say, sir, " began Bones feebly. 

"To carry a man eighty miles on your back is no mean accomplishment, Bones--especially when I was unconscious----"

"I don't say you were unconscious, sir. In fact, sir----" flounderedLieutenant Tibbetts as red as a peony. 

"And yet I was unconscious, " insisted Hamilton firmly. "I am stillunconscious, even to this day. I have no recollection of your heroiceffort, Bones, I thank you. "

"Well, sir, " said Bones, "to make a clean breast of the wholeaffair----"

"And this dangerous expedition of yours, Bones, an expedition from whichyou might never return--that, " said Hamilton in a hushed voice, "is thebest story I have heard for years. "

"Sir, " said Bones, speaking under the stress of considerable emotion, "Iam clean bowled, sir. The light-hearted fairy stories which I wrote tocheer, so to speak, the sick-bed of an innocent child, sir, they haverecoiled upon my own head. _Peccavi, mea culpi_, an' all those jolly oldexpressions that you'll find in the back pages of the dictionary. "

"Oh, Bones, Bones!" chuckled Hamilton. 

"You mustn't think I'm a perfect liar, sir, " began Bones, earnestly. 

"I don't think you're a perfect liar, " answered Hamilton, "I thinkyou're the most inefficient liar I've ever met. "

"Not even a liar, I'm a romancist, sir, " Bones stiffened with dignityand saluted, but whether he was saluting Hamilton, or the spirit ofRomance, or in sheer admiration was saluting himself, Hamilton did notknow. 

"The fact is, sir, " said Bones confidentially, "I'm writing a book!"

He stepped back as though to better observe the effect of his words. 

"What about?" asked Hamilton, curiously. 

"About things I've seen and things I know, " said Bones, in his mostimpressive manner. 

"Oh, I see!" said Hamilton, "one of those waistcoat pocket books. "

Bones swallowed the insult with a gulp. 

"I've been asked to write a book, " he said; "my adventures an' all thatsort of thing. Of course they needn't have happened, really----"

"In that case, Bones, I'm with you, " said Hamilton; "if you're going towrite a book about things that haven't happened to you, there's no limitto its size. "

"You're bein' a jolly cruel old officer, sir, " said Bones, pained by thecold cynicism of his chief. "But I'm very serious, sir. This country isfull of material. And everybody says I ought to write a book aboutit--why, dash it, sir, I've been here nearly two months!"

"It seems years, " said Hamilton. 

Bones was perfectly serious, as he had said. He did intend preparing abook for publication, had dreams of a great literary career, and anultimate membership of the Athenæum Club belike. It had come upon himlike a revelation that such a career called him. The week after he haddefinitely made up his mind to utilize his gifts in this direction, hisoutgoing mail was heavier than ever. For to three and twenty English andAmerican publishers, whose names he culled from a handy work ofreference, he advanced a business-like offer to prepare for the press avolume "of 316 pages printed in type about the same size as enclosed, "and to be entitled:

 MY WILD LIFE AMONGST CANNIBALS. 

 BY

 AUGUSTUS TIBBETTS, Lieutenant of Houssas. 

 Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society; Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society; Member of the Ethnological Society and Junior Army Service Club. 

Bones had none of these qualifications, save the latter, but as he toldhimself he'd jolly soon be made a member if his book was a howlingsuccess. 

No sooner had his letters been posted than he changed his mind, and headdressed three and twenty more letters to the publishers, altering thetitle to:

 THE TYRANNY OF THE WILDS. 

 Being Some Observations on the Habits and Customs of Savage Peoples. 

 BY

 AUGUSTUS TIBBETTS (LT. ). 

 With a Foreword by Captain Patrick Hamilton. 

"You wouldn't mind writing a foreword, dear old fellow?" he asked. 

"Charmed, " said Hamilton. "Have you a particular preference for anyform?"

"Just please yourself, sir, " said a delighted Bones, so Hamilton coveredtwo sheets of foolscap with an appreciation which began:

"The audacity of the author of this singularly uninformed work is to beadmired without necessarily being imitated. Two months' residence in aland which offered many opportunities for acquiring inaccurate data, hasresulted in a work which must stand for all time as a monument ofmurderous effort, " etc. 

Bones read the appreciation very carefully. 

"Dear old sport, " he said, a little troubled, as he reached the end;"this is almost uncomplimentary. "

You couldn't depress Bones or turn him from his set purpose. He scribedaway, occupying his leisure moments with his great work. His normalcorrespondence suffered cruelly, but Bones was relentless. Hamilton senthim north to collect the hut tax, and at first Bones resented thisorder, believing that it was specially designed to hamper him. 

"Of course, sir, " he said, "I'll obey you, if you order me in accordancewith regulations an' all that sort of rot, but believe me, sir, you'redoin' an injury to literature. Unborn generations, sir, will demand anexplanation----"

"Get out!" said Hamilton crossly. 

Bones found his trip a blessing that had been well disguised. There weremany points of interest on which he required first-hand information. Hecarried with him to the _Zaire_ large exercise books on which he hadpasted such pregnant labels as "Native Customs, " "Dances, " "Ju-jus, ""Ancient Legends, " "Folk-lore, " etc. They were mostly blank, andrepresented projected chapters of his great work. 

All might have been well with Bones. More virgin pages might easily havebeen covered with his sprawling writing and the book itself, convertedinto honest print, have found its way, in the course of time, into thetuppenny boxes of the Farringdon book-mart, sharing its soiledmagnificence with the work of the best of us, but on his way Bones had abrilliant inspiration. There was a chapter he had not thought of, achapter heading which had not been born to his mind until that flashingmoment of genius. 

Upon yet another exercise book, he pasted the label of a chapter whichwas to eclipse all others in interest. Behold then, this enticingannouncement, boldly printed and ruled about with double lines:

 "THE SOUL OF THE NATIVE WOMAN. "

It was a fine chapter title. It was sonorous, it had dignity, it wasfull of possibilities. "The Soul of the Native Woman, " repeated Bones, in an ecstasy of self-admiration, and having chosen his subject heproceeded to find out something about it. 

Now, about this time, Bosambo of the Ochori might, had he wished and hadhe the literary quality, have written many books about women, if for noother reason than because of a certain girl named D'riti. 

She was a woman of fifteen, grown to a splendid figure, with a proudhead and a chin that tilted in contempt, for she was the daughter ofBosambo's chief counsellor, grand-daughter of an Ochori king, andambitious to be wife of Bosambo himself. 

"This is a mad thing, " said Bosambo when her father offered thesuggestion; "for, as you know, T'meli, I have one wife who is a thousandwives to me. "

"Lord, I will be ten thousand, " said D'riti, present at the interviewand bold; "also, Lord, it was predicted at my birth that I should marrya king and the greater than a king. "

"That is me, " said Bosambo, who was without modesty; "yet, it cannotbe. "

So they married D'riti to a chief's son who beat her till one day shebroke his thick head with an iron pot, whereupon he sent her back to herfather demanding the return of his dowry and the value of his pot. 

She had her following, for she was a dancer of fame and could twist herlithe body into enticing shapes. She might have married again, but shewas so scornful of common men that none dare ask for her. Also theincident of the iron pot was not forgotten, and D'riti went swayingthrough the village--she walked from her hips, gracefully--a straight, brown, girl-woman desired and unasked. 

For she knew men too well to inspire confidence in them. By some weirdintuition which certain women of all races acquire, she had probedbehind their minds and saw with their eyes, and when she spoke of men, she spoke with a conscious authority, and such men, who were withinearshot of her vitriolic comments, squirmed uncomfortably, and calledher a woman of shame. 

So matters stood when the _Zaire_ came flashing to the Ochori city andthe heart of Bones filled with pleasant anticipation. 

Who was so competent to inform him on the matter of the souls of nativewomen as Bosambo of the Ochori, already a crony of Bones, and admirable, if for no other reason, because he professed an open reverence for hisnew master? At any rate, after the haggle of tax collection wasfinished, Bones set about his task. 

"Bosambo, " said he, "men say you are very wise. Now tell me somethingabout the women of the Ochori. "

Bosambo looked at Bones a little startled. 

"Lord, " said he, "who knows about women? For is it not written in theblessed Sura of the Djin that women and death are beyondunderstanding?"

"That may be true, " said Bones, "yet, behold, I make a book full of wiseand wonderful things and it would be neither wise nor wonderful if therewas no word of women. "

And he explained very seriously indeed that he desired to know of thesoul of native womanhood, of her thoughts and her dreams and her highdesires. 

"Lord, " said Bosambo, after a long thought, "go to your ship: presentlyI will send to you a girl who thinks and speaks with great wisdom--andif she talks with you, you shall learn more things than I can tell you. "

To the _Zaire_ at sundown came D'riti, a girl of proper height, hollowbacked, bare to the waist, with a thin skirting of fine silk cloth whichher father had brought from the Coast, wound tightly about her, yet notso tightly that it hampered her swaying, lazy walk. She stood before adisconcerted Bones, one small hand resting on her hip, her chin (asusual) tilted down at him from under lashes uncommonly long for anative. 

Also, this Bones saw, she was gifted with more delicate features thanthe native woman can boast as a rule. The nose was straight and narrow, the lips full, yet not of the negroid type. She was in fact a pureOchori woman, and the Ochori are related dimly to the Arabi tribes. 

"Lord, Bosambo the King has sent me to speak about women, " she saidsimply. 

"Doocidly awkward, " said Bones to himself, and blushed. 

"O, D'riti, " he stammered, "it is true I wish to speak of women, for Imake a book that all white lords will read. "

"Therefore have I come, " she said. "Now listen, O my lord, whilst I tellyou of women, and of all they think, of their love for men and of thestrange way they show it. Also of children----"

"Look here, " said Bones, loudly. "I don't want any--any--privateinformation, my child----"

Then realizing from her frown that she did not understand him, hereturned to Bomongo. 

"Lord, I will say what is to be said, " she remarked, meekly, "for youhave a gentle face and I see that your heart is very pure. "

Then she began, and Bones listened with open mouth ... Later he was tofeel his hair rise and was to utter gurgling protests, for she spokewith primitive simplicity about things that are never spoken about atall. He tried to check her, but she was not to be checked. 

"Goodness, gracious heavens!" gasped Bones. 

She told him of what women think of men, and of what men _think_ womenthink of them, and there was a remarkable discrepancy if she spoke thetruth. He asked her if she was married. 

"Lord, " she said at last, eyeing him thoughtfully, "it is written that Ishall marry one who is greater than chiefs. "

"I'll bet you will, too, " thought Bones, sweating. 

At parting she took his hand and pressed it to her cheek. 

"Lord, " she said, softly, "to-morrow when the sun is nearly down, I willcome again and tell you more.... "

Bones left before daybreak, having all the material he wanted for hisbook and more. 

He took his time descending the river, calling at sundry places. 

At Ikan he tied up the _Zaire_ for the night, and whilst his men werecarrying the wood aboard, he settled himself to put down the gist of hisdiscoveries. In the midst of his labours came Abiboo. 

"Lord, " said he, "there has just come by a fast canoe the woman whospoke with you last night. "

"Jumping Moses!" said Bones, turning pale, "say to this woman that I amgone----"

But the woman came round the corner of the deck-house, shyly, yet with acertain confidence. 

"Lord, " she said, "behold I am here, your poor slave; there arewonderful things about women which I have not told you----"

"O, D'riti!" said Bones in despair, "I know all things, and it is notlawful that you should follow me so far from your home lest evil be saidof you. "

He sent her to the hut of the chief's wife--M'lini-fo-bini of Ikan--withinstructions that she was to be returned to her home on the followingmorning. Then he went back to his work, but found it strangelydistasteful. He left nothing to chance the next day. 

With the dawn he slipped down the river at full speed, never so much ashalting till day began to fail, and he was a short day's journey fromheadquarters. 

"Anyhow, the poor dear won't overtake me to-day, " he said--only to findthe "poor dear" had stowed herself away on the steamer in the nightbehind a pile of wood. 

 * * * * *

"It's very awkward, " said Hamilton, and coughed. 

Bones looked at his chief pathetically. 

"It's doocid awkward, sir, " he agreed dismally. 

"You say she won't go back?"

Bones shook his head. 

"She said I'm the moon and the sun an' all sorts of rotten things toher, sir, " he groaned and wiped his forehead. 

"Send her to me, " said Hamilton. 

"Be kind to her, sir, " pleaded the miserable Bones. "After all, sir, thepoor girl seems to be fond of me, sir--the human heart, sir--I don'tknow why she should take a fancy to me. "

"That's what I want to know, " said Hamilton, briefly; "if she _is_ mad, I'll send her to the mission hospital along the Coast. "

"You've a hard and bitter heart, " said Bones, sadly. 

D'riti came ready to flash her anger and eloquence at Hamilton; on theverge of defiance. 

"D'riti, " said Hamilton, "to-morrow I send you back to your people. "

"Lord, I stay with Tibbetti who loves women and is happy to talk ofthem. Also some day I shall be his wife, for this is foretold. " She shota tender glance at poor Bones. 

"That cannot be, " said Hamilton calmly, "for Tibbetti has three wives, and they are old and fierce----"

"Oh, lord!" wailed Bones. 

"And they would beat you and make you carry wood and water, " Hamiltonsaid; he saw the look of apprehension steal into the girl's face. "Andmore than this, D'riti, the Lord Tibbetti is mad when the moon is infull, he foams at the mouth and bites, uttering awful noises. "

"Oh, dirty trick!" almost sobbed Bones. 

"Go, therefore, D'riti, " said Hamilton, "and I will give you a piece offine cloth, and beads of many colours. "

It is a matter of history that D'riti went. 

"I don't know what you think of me, sir, " said Bones, humbly, "of courseI couldn't get rid of her----"

"You didn't try, " said Hamilton, searching his pockets for his pipe. "You could have made her drop you like a shot. "

"How, sir?"

"Stuck your finger in her eye, " said Hamilton, and Bones swallowed hard. 

CHAPTER VII

THE STRANGER WHO WALKED BY NIGHT

Since the day when Lieutenant Francis Augustus Tibbetts rescued from thesacrificial trees the small brown baby whom he afterwards christenedHenry Hamilton Bones, the interests of that young officer were to a verylarge extent extremely concentrated upon that absorbing problem which afamous journal once popularized, "What shall we do with our boys?"

As to the exact nature of the communications which Bones made to Englandupon the subject, what hairbreadth escapes and desperate adventure hedetailed with that facile pen of his, who shall say?

It is unfortunate that Hamilton's sister--that innocent purveyor of homenews--had no glimpse of the correspondence, and that other recipients ofhis confidence are not in touch with the writer of these chronicles. Whatever he wrote, with what fervour he described his wanderings in theforest no one knows, but certainly he wrote to some purpose. 

"What the dickens are all these parcels that have come for you for?"demanded his superior officer, eyeing with disfavour a mountain ofbrown paper packages be-sealed, be-stringed, and be-stamped. 

Bones, smoking his pipe, turned them over. 

"I don't know for certain, " he said, carefully; "but I shouldn't besurprised if they aren't clothes, dear old officer. "

"Clothes?"

"For Henry, " explained Bones, and cutting the string of one and tearingaway its covering revealed a little mountain of snowy garments. Bonesturned them over one by one. 

"For Henry, " he repeated; "could you tell me, sir, what these things arefor?"

He held up a garment white and small and frilly. 

"No, sir, I can't, " said Hamilton stiffly, "unless like the ass that youare you have forgotten to mention to your friends that Henry is agentleman child. "

Bones looked up at the blue sky and scratched his chin. 

"I may have called him 'her, '" he confessed. 

There were, to be exact, sixteen parcels and each contained at least onesuch garment, and in addition a very warm shawl, "which, " said Hamilton, "will be immensely useful when it snows. "

With the aid of his orderly, Bones sorted out the wardrobe and theplaythings (including many volumes of theOh-look-at-the-rat-on-the-mat-where-is-the-cat? variety), and these hecarried to his hut with such dignity as he could summon. 

That evening, Hamilton paid his subordinate a visit. Henry, pleasinglyarrayed in a pair of the misdirected garments with a large bonnet on hishead, and seated on the floor of the quarters contentedly chewing Bones'watch, whilst Bones, accompanying himself with his banjo, was singing asong which was chiefly remarkable for the fact that he was ignorant ofthe tune and somewhat hazy concerning the words. 

 "Did you ever take a tum-ty up the Nile, Did you ever dumpty dupty in a camp, Or dumpty dumpty on m--m---- Or play it in a dumpty dumpty swamp. "

He rose, and saluted his senior, as Hamilton came in. 

"Exactly what is going to happen when Sanders comes back?" askedHamilton, and the face of Bones fell. 

"Happen, sir? I don't take you, sir--what _could_ happen--to whom, sir?"

"To Henry, " said Hamilton. 

Henry looked up at that moment with a seraphic smile. 

"Isn't he wonderful, sir?" asked Bones in hushed ecstasy; "you won'tbelieve what I'm going to tell you, sir--you're such a jolly oldsceptic, sir--but Henry knows me--positively recognizes me! And when youremember that he's only four months old--why, it's unbelievable. "

"But what will you do when Sanders comes--really, Bones, I don't knowwhether I ought to allow this as it is. "

"If exception is taken to Henry, sir, " said Bones firmly, "I resign mycommission; if a gentleman is allowed to keep a dog, sir, he is surelyallowed to keep a baby. Between Henry and me, sir, there is a bondstronger than steel. I may be an ass, sir, I may even be a goop, butcome between me an' my child an' all my motherly instincts--if you'llpardon the paradox--all my paternal--that's the word--instincts arearoused, and I will fight like a tiger, sir----"

"What a devil you are for jaw, " said Hamilton; "anyway, I've warned you. Sanders is due in a month. "

"Henry will be five, " murmured Bones. 

"Oh, blow Henry!" said Hamilton. 

Bones rose and pointed to the door. 

"May I ask you, sir, " he said, "not to use that language before thechild? I hate to speak to you like this, sir, but I have aresponsible----"

He dodged out of the open door and the loaf of bread which Hamilton hadthrown struck the lintel and rolled back to Henry's eager hands. 

The two men walked up and down the parade ground whilst Fa'ma, the wifeof Ahmet, carried the child to her quarters where he slept. 

"I'm afraid I've got to separate you from your child, " said Hamilton;"there is some curious business going on in the Lombobo, and a strangerwho walks by night, of which Ahmet the Spy writes somewhatconfusingly. "

Bones glanced round in some apprehension. 

"Oblige me, old friend, " he entreated, "by never speakin' of such thingsbefore Henry--I wouldn't have him scared for the world. "

II

Bosambo of the Ochori was a light sleeper, the lighter because ofcertain stories which had reached him of a stranger who walks by night, and in the middle of the night he suddenly became wide awake, consciousthat there was a man in his hut of whose coming the sentry without wasignorant. 

Bosambo's hand went out stealthily for his short spear, but before hecould reach it, his wrist was caught in a grip of steel, strong fingersgripped his throat, and the intruder whispered fiercely, using certainwords which left the chief helpless with wonder. 

"I am M'gani of the Night, " said the voice with authoritative hauteur, "of me you have heard, for I am known only to chiefs; and am so highthat chiefs obey and even devils go quickly from my path. "

"O, M'gani, I hear you, " whispered Bosambo, "how may I serve you?"

"Get me food, " said the imperious stranger, "after, you shall make a bedfor me in your inner room, and sit before this house that none maydisturb me, for it is to my high purpose that no word shall go toM'ilitani that I stay in your territory. "

"M'gani, I am your dog, " said Bosambo, and stole forth from the hut likea thief to obey. 

All that day he sat before his hut and even sent away the wife of hisheart and the child M'sambo, that the rest of M'gani of the N'gombishould not be disturbed. 

That night when darkness had come and the glowing red of hut fires grewdimmer, M'gani came from the hut. 

Bosambo had sent away the guard and accompanied his guest to the end ofthe village. 

M'gani, with only a cloak of leopard skin about him, twirling two longspears as he walked, was silent till he came to the edge of the citywhere he was to take farewell of his host. 

"Tell me this, Bosambo, where are Sandi's spies that I may avoid them?"

And Bosambo, without hesitation, told him. 

"M'gani, " said he, at parting, "where do you go now? tell me that I maysend cunning men to guard you, for there is a bad spirit in this land, especially amongst the people of Lombobo, because I have offended B'limiSaka, the chief. "

"No soldiers do I need, O Bosambo, " said the other. "Yet I tell you thisthat I go to quiet places to learn that which will be best for mypeople. "

He turned to go. 

"M'gani, " said Bosambo, "in the day when you shall see our lord Sandi, speak to him for me saying that I am faithful, for it seems to me, sohigh a man are you that he will listen to your word when he will listento none other. "

"I hear, " said M'gani gravely, and slipped into the shadows of theforest. 

Bosambo stood for a long time staring in the direction which M'gani hadtaken, then walked slowly back to his hut. 

In the morning came the chief of his councillors for a hut palaver. 

"Bosambo, " said he, in a tone of mystery, "the Walker-of-the-Night hasbeen with us. "

"Who says this?" asked Bosambo. 

"Fibini, the fisherman, " said the councillor, "for this he says, thathaving toothache, he sat in the shadow of his hut near the warm fire andsaw the Walker pass through the village and with him, lord, one who waslike a devil, being big and very ugly. "

"Go to Fibini, " said a justly annoyed Bosambo, "and beat him on the feettill he cries--for he is a liar and a spreader of alarm. "

Yet Fibini had done his worst before the bastinado (an innovation ofBosambo's) had performed its silencing mission, and Ochori mothersshepherded their little flocks with greater care when the sun went downthat night, for this new terror which had come to the land, this blackghost with the wildfire fame was reputed especially devilish. In a weekhe had become famous--so swift does news carry in the territories. 

Men had seen him passing through forest paths, or speeding withincredible swiftness along the silent river. Some said that he had noboat and walked the waters, others that he flew like a bat with millionsof bats behind him. One had met him face to face and had sunk to theground before eyes "that were very hot and red and thrusting out littlelightnings. "

He had been seen in many places in the Ochori, in the N'gombi city, inthe villages of the Akasava, but mainly his hunting ground was thenarrow strip of territory which is called Lombobo. 

B'limi Saka, the chief of the land, himself a believer in devils, wasespecially perturbed lest the Silent Walker should be a spy ofGovernment, for he had been guilty of practices which were particularlyobnoxious to the white men who were so swift to punish. 

"Yet, " said he to his daughter and (to the disgust of his people, whodespised women) his chief councillor, "none know my heart save you, Lamalana. "

Lamalana, with her man shoulders and her flat face, peered at hergrizzled father sideways. 

"Devils hear hearts, " she said huskily, "and when they talk of killingsand sacrifices are not all devils pleased? Now I tell you this, myfather, that I wait for sacrifices which you swore by death you wouldshow me. "

B'limi Saka looked round fearfully. Though the ferocity of this chiefwas afterwards revealed, though secret places in the forest held hishorrible secret killing-houses, yet he was a timid man with a certainaffection of his eyes which made him dependent upon the childless widowwho had been his strength for two years. 

The Lombobo were the cruellest of Sanders' people; their chiefs the mosttreacherous. Neither akin to the N'gombi, the Isisi, the Akasava nor theOchori, they took on the worst attributes of each race. 

Seldom in open warfare did they challenge the Administration, but therewas a long tale of slain and mutilated enemies who floated facedownwards in the stream; of disappearance of faithful servants ofGovernment, and of acts of cannibalism which went unidentified andunpunished. 

For though all the tribes, save the Ochori, had been cannibals, yet byfire and rope, tempered with wisdom, had the Administration broughtabout a newer era to the upper river. 

But reformation came not to the Lombobo. A word from Sanders, acarelessly expressed view, and the Lombobo people would have been sweptfrom existence--wiped ruthlessly from the list of nations, but that wasnot the way of Government, which is patient and patient and patientagain till in the end, by sheer heavy weight of patience, it crushesopposition to its wishes. 

They called Lamalana the barren woman, the Drinker of Life, but she hadat least drunken without ostentation, and if she murdered with her ownlarge hands, or staked men and women from a sheer lust of cruelty, therewere none alive to speak against her. 

Outside the town of Lombobo[6] was a patch of beaten ground where nograss grew, and this place was called "wa boma, " the killing ground. 

[Footnote 6: The territories are invariably named after the principalcity, which is sometimes, perhaps, a little misleading. --E. W. ]

Here, before the white men came, sacrifices were made openly, and it wasperhaps for this association and because it was, from its very openness, free from the danger of the eavesdropper, that Lamalana and her fatherwould sit by the hour, whilst he told her the story of ancienthorrors--never too horrible for the woman who swayed to and fro as shelistened as one who was hypnotized. 

"Lord, " said she, "the Walker of the Night comes not alone to theLombobo; all people up and down the river have seen him, and to my mindhe is a sign of great fortune showing that ghosts are with us. Now, ifyou are very brave, we will have a killing greater than any. Is there nohole in the hill[7] which Bosambo dug for your shame? And, lord, do notthe people of the Ochori say that this child M'sambo is the light of hisfather's life? O ko! Bosambo shall be sorry. "

[Footnote 7: _See_ "The Right of Way. "]

Later they walked in the forest speaking, for they had no fear of thespirits which the last slanting rays of the dying sun unlocked from thetrees. And they talked and walked, and Lombobo huntsmen, returningthrough the wood, gave them a wide berth, for Lamalana was possessed ofan eye which was notoriously evil. 

"Let us go back to the city, " said Lamalana, "for now I see that you arevery brave and not a blind old man. "

"There will be a great palaver and who knows but M'ilitani will comewith his soldiers?"

She laughed loudly and hoarsely, making the silent forest ring withharsh noise. 

"O ko!" she said, then laughed no more. 

In the centre of the path was a man; in the half light she saw theleopard skin and the strange belt of metal about his waist. 

"O Lamalana, " he said softly, "laugh gently, for I have quick ears and Ismell blood. "

He pointed to the darkening forest path down which they had come. 

"Many have been sacrificed and none heard them, " he said, "this I knownow. Let there be an end to killing, for I am M'gani, the Walker of theNight, and very terrible. "

"Wa!" screamed Lamalana, and leapt at him with clawing hands and herwhite teeth agrin. Then something soft and damp struck her face--full inthe mouth like a spray of water, and she fell over struggling for herbreath, and rose gasping to her feet to find the Walker had gone. 

III

Before Bosambo's hut Bones sat in a long and earnest conversation, andthe subject of his discourse was children. For, alarmed by the ominoussuggestion which Bones had put forward, that his superior should beresponsible for the well-being of Henry in the absence of hisfoster-parent, Hamilton had yielded to the request that Henry shouldaccompany Bones on his visit to the north. 

And now, on a large rug before Bosambo and his lord, there sat two smallchildren eyeing one another with mutual distrust. 

"Lord, " said Bosambo, "it is true that your lordship's child iswonderful, but I think that M'sambo is also wonderful. If your lordshipwill look with kind eyes he will see a certain cunning way which isstrange in so young a one. Also he speaks clearly so that I understandhim. "

"Yet, " contested Bones, "as it seems to me, Bosambo, mine is very wise, for see how he looks to me when I speak, raising his thumb. "

Bones made a clucking noise with his mouth, and Henry turned frowningly, regarded his protector with cool indifference, and returned to hisscrutiny of the other strange brown animal confronting him. 

"Now, " said Bones that night, "what of the Walker?"

"Lord, I know of him, " said Bosambo, "yet I cannot speak for we areblood brothers by certain magic rites and speeches; this I know, that heis a good man as I shall testify to Sandi when he comes back to his ownpeople. "

"You sit here for Government, " said Bones, "and if you don't play thegame you're a jolly old rotter, Bosambo!"

"I know 'um, I no speak 'um, sah, " said Bosambo, "I be good fellah, sah, no Yadasi fellah, sah--I be Peter feller, cut 'em ear some like, sah!"

"You're a naughty old humbug, " said Bones, and went to bed on the_Zaire_ leaving Henry with the chief's wife.... 

In the dark hours before the dawn he led his Houssas across the beach, revolver in hand, but came a little too late. The surprise party hadbeen well planned. A speared sentry lay twisting before the chief's hut, and Bosambo's face was smothered in blood. Bones took in the situation. 

"Fire on the men who fly to the forest, " he said, but Bosambo laid ashaking hand upon his arm. 

"Lord, " he said, "hold your fire, for they have taken the children, andI fear the woman my wife is stricken. "

He went into the hut, Bones following. 

The chief's wife had a larger hut than Bosambo's own, communicating withher lord's through a passage of wicker and clay, and the raiders hadclubbed her to silence, but Bones knew enough of surgery to see that shewas in no danger. 

In ten minutes the fighting regiments of the Ochori were sweepingthrough the forest, trackers going ahead to pick up the trail. 

"Let all gods hear me, " sobbed Bosambo, as he ran, "and send M'ganiswiftly to M'sambo my son. "

IV

"Now this is very wonderful, " said Lamalana, "and it seems, O my father, no matter for a small killing, but for a sacrifice such as all men maysee. "

It was the hour following the dawn when the world was at its sweetest, when the chattering weaver birds went in and out of their hanging nestsgossiping loudly, and faint perfumes from little morning flowers gavethe air an unusual delicacy. 

All the Lombobo people, the warriors and the hunters, the wives and themaidens, and even the children of tender years, lined the steep slopesof the Cup of Sacrifice. For Lamalana, deaf and blind to reason, knewthat her hour was short, and that with the sun would come a man terriblein his anger ... And the soldiers who eat up opposition with fire. 

"O people!" she cried. 

She was stripped to the waist, stood behind the Stone of Death as thoughit were a counter, and the two squirming infants under her hands were somuch saleable stock: "Here we bring terror to all who hate us, for oneof these is the heart of Bosambo and the other is more than the heart ofthe-man-who-stands-for-Sandi----"

"O woman!"

The intruder had passed unnoticed, almost it seemed by magic, throughthe throng, and now he stood in the clear space of sacrifice. And therewas not one in the throng who had not heard of him with his leopard skinand his belt of brass. 

He was as black as the strange Ethiopians who came sometimes to the landwith the Arabi traders, his muscular arms and legs were dull in theirblackness. 

There was a whisper of terror--"The Walker of the Night!--" and thepeople fell back ... A woman screamed and fell into a fit. 

"O woman, " said M'gani, "deliver to me these little children who havedone no evil. "

Open-mouthed the half-demented daughter of B'limi Saka stared at him. 

He walked forward, lifted the children in his two arms and went slowlythrough the people, who parted in terror at his coming. 

He turned at the top of the basin to speak. 

"Do no wickedness, " said he; then he gently stooped to put the childrenon the ground, for mouthing and bellowing senseless sounds Lamalana camefuriously after him, her long, crooked knife in her hand. He thrust hishand into the leopard skin as for a weapon, but before he could withdrawit, a man of Lombobo, half in terror, fell upon and threw his arms aboutM'gani. 

"Bo'ma!" boomed the woman, and drew back her knife for the stroke.... 

Bones, from the edge of the clearing, jerked up the rifle he carried andfired. 

 * * * * *

"What man is this?" asked Bones. 

Bosambo looked at the stranger. 

"This is M'gani, " he said, "he who walks in the night. "

"The dooce it is!" said Bones, and fixing his monocle glared at thestranger. 

"From whence do you come?" he asked. 

"Lord, I come from the Coast, " said the man, "by many strange ways, desiring to arrive at this land secretly that I might learn the heart ofthese people and understand. " Then, in perfect English, "I don't thinkwe've ever met before, Mr. Tibbetts--my name is Sanders. "

CHAPTER VIII

A RIGHT OF WAY

The Borders of Territories may be fixed by treaty, by certainmathematical calculations, or by arbitrary proclamation. In theterritories over which Sanders ruled they were governed as between tribeand tribe by custom and such natural lines of demarkation as a river ora creek supplied. 

In forest land this was not possible, and there had ever been betweenthe Ochori and the Lombobo a feud and a grievance, touched-up borderfights, for hereabouts there is good hunting. Sanders had tried manymethods and had hit upon the red gum border as a solution to a greatdifficulty. For some curious reason there were no red gum trees in thenorthern fringe of the forest for five miles on the Ochori side of thegreat wood; it was innocent of this beautiful tree and Sanders' fiat hadgone forth that there should be no Ochori hunting in the red gum lands, and that settled the matter and Sanders hoped for good. 

But Bosambo set himself to enlarge his borders by a single expedient. Wherever his hunters came upon a red gum tree they cut it down. B'limiSaka, the chief of the sullen Lombobo, retaliated by planting red gumsaplings on the country between the forest and the river--a fact ofwhich Bosambo was not aware until he suddenly discovered a huge wedge ofred gum driven into his lawful territory. A wedge so definite as to cutoff nearly a thousand square miles of his territory, for beyond thisborder lay the lower Ochori country. 

"How may I reach my proper villages?" he asked Sanders, who had knownsomething of the comedy which was being enacted. 

"You shall have canoes at the place of the young gum trees and shall rowto a place beyond them, " Sanders had said. "I have given my word thatthe red gum lands are the territory of B'limi Saka, and since you haveonly your cunning to thank--Oh, cutter of trees--I cannot help you!"

Bosambo would have made short work of the young saplings, but B'limisakaestablished a guard not to be forced without bloodshed, and Bosambocould do no more in that way of reprisal than instruct his people tohurl insulting references to B'limisaka's as they passed the forbiddenground. 

For the maddening thing was that the slip of filched territory was lessthan a hundred yards wide and men of the Lombobo, who went out by nightto widen it, never came out alive--for Bosambo also had a guard. 

Sometimes the minion spies of Government would come to headquarterswith a twist of rice paper stuck in a quill, the quill inserted in thelobes of the ear in very much the same place as the ladies wore theirearrings in the barbarous mid-Victorian period, and on the rice paperwith the briefest introduction would be inserted, in perfect Arabic, scraps of domestic news for the information of the Government. 

Sometimes news would carry from mouth to mouth and a weary man wouldsquat before Hamilton and recite his lesson. 

"Efobi of the Isisi has stolen goats, and because he is the brother ofthe chief's wife goes unpunished; T'mara of the Akasava has put a curseupon the wife of O'femo the headman, and she has burnt his hut; N'kemaof the Ochori will not pay his tax, saying that he is no Ochori man, buta true N'gombi; Bosambo's men have beaten a woodman of B'limi Saka, because he planted trees on Ochori land; the well folk are on the edgeof the N'gomb forest, building huts and singing----"

"How long do they stay?" interrupted Hamilton. 

"Lord, who knows?" said the man. 

"Ogibo of the Akasava has spoken evilly of his king and mightily ofhimself----"

"Make a note of that, Bones. "

"Make a note of which, sir?"

"Ogibo--he looked like a case of sleep-sickness the last time I was inhis village--go on. "

"Ogibo also says that the father of his father was a great chief and waslord of all the Akasava----"

"That's sleeping sickness all right, " said Hamilton bitterly. "Why thedevil doesn't he wait till Sanders is back before he goes mad?"

"Drop him a line, sir, " suggested Bones, "he's a remarkable feller--dashit all, sir, what the dooce is the good of bein' in charge of thedistrict if you can't put a stop to that sort of thing?"

"What talk is there of spears in this?" asked Hamilton of the spy. 

"Lord, much talk--as I know, for I serve in this district. "

"Go swiftly to Ogibo, and summon him to me for a high _lakimbo_, [8]"said Hamilton; "my soldiers shall carry you in my new little ship thatburns water[9]--fly pigeons to me that I may know all that happens. "

[Footnote 8: Palaver. ]

[Footnote 9: The motor-launch. ]

"On my life, " said the spy, raised his hand in salute and departed. 

"These well people you were talkin' about, sir, " asked Bones, "who arethey?"

But Hamilton could give no satisfactory answer to such a question, and, indeed, he would have been more than ordinarily clever had he been ableto. 

The wild territories are filled with stubborn facts, bewilderingrealities, and extraordinary inconsequences. Up by the N'gombi landslived a tribe who, for the purposes of office classification, were knownas "N'gombi (Interior), " but who were neither N'gombi nor Isisi, nor ofany known branch of the Bantu race, but known as "the people of thewell. " They had remarkable legends, sayings which they ascribed to amythical Idoosi; also they have a song which runs:

 O well in the forest! Which chiefs have digged; No common men touched the earth, But chiefs' spears and the hands of kings. 

Now there is no doubt that both the sayings of Idoosi and the song ofthe well have come down from days of antiquity, and that Idoosi is noneother than the writer of the lost book of the Bible, of whom it iswritten:

 "Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the vision of Idoo the seer?"[10].... 

[Footnote 10: Chronicles II. , ix. 29. ]

And is not the Song of the Well identical with that brief extract fromthe Book of Wars of the Lord--lost to us for ever--which runs:

 "Spring up, O well: sing ye unto it: The well, which the princes digged, Which the nobles of the people delved, With the sceptre ... With their staves. "[11]

[Footnote 11: Numbers xxi. 17. ]

Some men say that the People of the Well are one of the lost tribes, butthat is an easy solution which suggests itself to the hasty-minded. Others say that they are descendants of the Babylonian races, or thatthey came down from Egypt when Rameses II died, and there arose a newdynasty and a Pharaoh who did not know the wise Jewish Prime Ministerwho ruled so wisely, who worshipped in the little temple at Karnac, andwhose statue you may see in Cairo with a strange Egyptian name. We knowhim better as "Joseph"--he who was sold into captivity. 

Whatever they were, this much is known, to the discomfort of everybody, that they were great diggers of wells, and would, on the slightestexcuse, spend whole months, choosing, for some mad reason, the top ofhills for their operations, delving in the earth for water, though theriver was less than a hundred yards away. 

Of all the interesting solutions which have been offered with the objectof identifying the People of the Well, none are so interesting as thatwhich Bones put forward at the end of Hamilton's brief sketch. 

"My idea, dear old officer, " he said profoundly, "that all theseJohnnies are artful old niggers who've run away from their wives inTimbuctoo--and for this reason----"

"Oh, shut up!" said Hamilton. 

Two nights later the bugles were ringing through the Houssa lines, andBones, sleepy-eyed, with an armful of personal belongings, was racingfor the _Zaire_, for Ogibo of the Akasava had secured a following. 

II

The chief Ogibo who held the law and kept the peace for his master, theKing of the Akasava, was bitten many times by the tsetse on a huntingtrip into the bad lands near the Utur forest. Two years afterwards, of asudden, he was seized with a sense of his own importance, and proclaimedhimself paramount chief of the Akasava, and all the lands adjoining. Andsince it is against nature that any lunatic should be without hisfollowing, he had no difficulty in raising all the spears that wererequisite for his immediate purpose, marched to Igili, the second mostimportant town in the Akasava kingdom, overthrew the defensive force, destroyed the town, and leaving half his fighting regiment to hold theconquered city he moved through the forest toward the Akasava cityproper. He camped in the forest, and his men spent an uncomfortablenight, for a thunderstorm broke over the river, and the dark was filledwith quick flashes and the heavens crashed noisily. There was still arumbling and a growling above his head when he assembled his forces inthe grey dawn, and continued his march. He had not gone half an hourbefore one of his headmen came racing up to where he led his force inmajesty. 

"Lord, " said he, "do you hear no sound?"

"I hear the thunder, " said Ogibo. 

"Listen!" said the headman. 

They halted, head bent. 

"It is thunder, " said Ogibo, as the rumble and moan of the distant stormcame to him. Then above the grumble of the thunder came a sharper note, a sound to be expressed in the word "blong!"

"Lord, " said the headman, "that is no thunder, rather is it thefire-thrower of M'ilitani. "

So Ogibo in his wrath turned back to crush the insolent white men whohad dared attack the garrison he had left behind to hold Igili. 

Bones with a small force was pursuing him, totally unaware of thestrength that Ogibo mustered. A spy brought to the chief news of thesmallness of the following force. 

"Now, " said Ogibo, "I will show all the world how great a chief I am, for my bravery I will destroy all these soldiers that are sent againstme. "

He chose his ambush well--though he had need to send scampering withsqueals of terror half a hundred humble aliens who were at the moment ofinterruption digging a foolish well on the top of the hill where Ogibowas concealing his shaking force. 

Bones with his Houssas saw how the path led up a tolerably steephill--one of the few in the country--and groaned aloud, for he hatedhills. 

He was half-way up at the head of his men, when Ogibo on the summit gavethe order, "Boma!" said he, which means kill, and three abreast, shieldslocked and spears gripped stomach high, the rebels charged down thepath. Bones saw them coming and slipped out his revolver. There was noroom to manoeuvre his men, the path was fairly narrow, denseundergrowth masked each side. 

He heard the yell, saw above the bush, which concealed the winding way, the dancing head-dresses of the attackers, and advanced his pistol arm. The rustle of bare feet on the path, a louder roar than ever--thensilence. 

Bones waited, a Houssa squeezed on either side of him, but the onrushingenemy did not appear, and only a faint whimper of sound reached him. 

"Lord! they go back!" gasped his sergeant; and Bones saw to hisamazement a little knot of men making their frantic way up the hill. 

At first he suspected an ambush within an ambush, but it was unlikely;he could never be more at Ogibo's mercy than he had been. 

Cautiously he felt his way up the hill path, a revolver in each hand. 

He rounded a sharp corner of the path and saw.... 

A great square chasm yawned in the very centre of the pathway, thebushes on either side were buried under the earth which the diggers ofwells had flung up, and piled one on the other, a writhing, strugglingconfusion of shining bodies, were Ogibo's soldiers to the number of ahundred, with a silent Ogibo undermost, wholly indifferent to hisembarrassing position, for his neck was broken. 

Hamilton came up in the afternoon and brought villagers to assist at thework of rescue and afterwards he interviewed the chief of the shy andtimid Well-folk. 

"O chief, " said Hamilton, "it is an order of Sandi that you shall dig nowells near towns, and yet you have done this. "

"Bless his old heart!" murmured Bones. 

"Lord, I break the law, " said the man, simply, "also I break all custom, for to-day, by your favour, I cross the river, I and my people. This wehave never done since time was. "

"Whither do you go?"

The chief of the wanderers, an old man remarkably gifted--for his beardwas long and white, and reached to his waist--stuck his spear head downin the earth. 

"Lord, we go to a place which is written, " he said; "for Idoosi hassaid, 'Go forth to the natives at war, they that fight by the river; onthe swift water shall you go, even against the water'--many times havewe come to the river, master, but ever have we turned back; but now itseems that the prophecy has been fulfilled, for there are bleeding menin these holes and the sound of thunders. "

The People of the Well crossed to the Isisi, using the canoes of theAkasava headmen, and made a slow progress through territory which gavethem no opportunity of exercising their hobby, since water lay less thana spade's length beneath the driest ground. 

"Poor old Sanders, " said Hamilton ruefully, when he was again on the_Zaire_, "I've so mixed up his people that he'll have to get a new mapmade to find them again. "

"You might tell me off to show him round, sir, " suggested Bones, butHamilton did not jump at the offer. 

He was getting more than a little rattled. Sanders was due back in amonth, and it seemed that scarcely a week passed but some complicationarose that further entangled a situation which was already too full ofloose and straying threads for his liking. 

"I suppose the country is settled for a week at any rate, " he said witha little sigh of relief--but he reckoned without his People of the Well. 

They moved, a straggling body of men and women, with their stiff walkand their doleful song, a wild people with strange, pinched faces andlong black hair, along the river's edge. 

A week's journeyings brought them to the Ochori country and to Bosambo, who was holding a most important palaver. 

It was held on Ochori territory, for the forbidden strip was by thistime so thickly planted with young trees that there was no place for aman to sit. 

"Lord, " said Bosambo, "if you will return me the land which you havestolen, so that I may pass unhindered from one part of my territory tothe other, I will give you many islands on the river. "

"That is a foolish palaver, " said B'limisaka; "for you have no islandsto give. "

"Now I tell you, B'limisaka, " said Bosambo, "my young men are crying outagainst you, for, as you know, you have planted your trees on the highground, and my people, taking to their canoes, must climb down to thewater's edge a long way, so that it wearies their legs, soon, I fear, Ishall not hold them, for they are very fierce and full of arrogance. "

"Lord, " said B'limisaka, significantly, "my young men are also fierce. "

The palaver was dispersing, and the last of the Lombobo councillors weredisappearing in the forest, when the Diggers of the Well came throughthe forbidden territory to the place where Bosambo sat. 

"We are they of whom you have heard, O my Lord, " said the old man, wholed them, "also we carry a book for you. "

He unwound the cloth about his thin middle, and with many fumblingsproduced a paper which Bosambo read. 

 "From M'ilitani, by Ogibo's village in the Akasava. 

 "To Bosambo--may God preserve him!

 "I give this to the chief of Well diggers that you shall know they are favoured by me, being simple people and very timid. Give them a passage through your territory, for they seek a holy land, and find them high places for the digging of holes, for they seek truth. Now peace on your house, Bosambo. "

 "On my ship, by channel of rocks. "

"Lord, it is true, " said the old chief, "we seek a shining thing thatwill stay white when it is white, and black when it is black, and thewise Idoosi has said, 'Go down into the earth for truth, seek it in thedeeps of the earth, for it lies in secret places, in centre of the worldit lies. '"

Bosambo thought long and rapidly, then there came to him the brightlight of an inspiration. 

"What manner of holes do you dig, old man?"

"Lord, we dig them deep, for we are cunning workers, and do not feardeath as common men do; also we dig them straightly--into the very heartof hills we dig them. "

Bosambo looked at the sloping ground covered with hateful gum. 

"Old man, " said he softly, "here shall you dig, you and your people, forin the heart of this hill is such a truth as you desire--my young menshall bring you food and build huts for you, and I will place one who iscunning in the way of hills to show you the way. "

The old man's eyes gleamed joyously, and he clasped the ankles of hismagnanimous host. 

"Lord, " said he humbly, "now is the prophecy fulfilled, for it was saidby the great Idoosi, 'You shall come to a land where the barbarianrules, and he shall be to you as a brother!'"

"Nigger, " said Bosambo in his vile English--yet with a certain hauteur, "you shall dig 'um tunnel--you no cheek 'um, no chat 'um, you lib fordear tunnel one time. "

He watched them as, singing the song of the well, they went to work, women, men, and even little children undermining the Chief B'limisaka'sterritory and creating for Bosambo the right of way for which his soulcraved. 

CHAPTER IX

THE GREEN CROCODILE

_Cala cala_, as they say, seven brothers lived near the creek of theGreen One. It was not called the creek of the Green One in those far-offdays, for the monstrous thing had no existence. 

And the seven brothers had seven wives who were sisters, and it wouldappear from the legend that these seven wives were unfaithful to theirhusbands, and upon a certain night in the full of the moon, the brothersreturning from an expedition into the forest, discovered the extent oftheir infamy, and they tied the sisters together, the wrists of one tothe ankles of the other, and they led them to the stream, and no soonerhad they disappeared beneath the black waters than there was almightysplashing and bubbling of water, and there came crawling from the placewhere the unfaithful wives had sunk so terrible a monster that the sevenbrothers fled in fear. 

This was the Green One, with his long ugly snout, cold, vicious eyes, and his great clawed feet. Some say that these women had been changed bymagic into the Crocodile of the Pool, and many people believe this andspeak of the Green One in the plural. 

Certain it is, that this terrible crocodile lived through the ages--nonehunting her, she was left in indisputable possession of the flatsand-bank wherein to lay her eggs, and ranged the sandy shore of thecreek undisturbed. 

She was regarded with awe; sacrifices, living and dead, were offered toher from time to time, and sometimes a cripple or two was knocked on thehead and left by the water's edge for her pleasure. She was indeed averitable scavenger of crime for the neighbouring villages about, andearned some sort of respect, for, as the saying went:

"Sandi does not speak the language of the Green One. "

Sometimes M'zooba would go afield, leaving the quietude of the creek andthe pool, which was her own territory, for the more adventurous life ofthe river, and here one day she lay, the whole of her body submerged andonly her wicked eyes within an eighth of an inch of the water's surface, when a timorous young roebuck came picking a cautious way through theforest across the open plantations to the water's edge. He stopped fromtime to time apprehensively, trembling in every limb at the slightestsound, looking this way and that, then taking a few more steps and againsearching the cruel world for danger before he reached the water's edge. 

Then, after a final look round, he lowered his soft muzzle to the coolwaters. Swift as lightning the Green One flashed her long snout out ofthe water, and gripped the tender head of the buck. Ruthlessly shepulled, dragging the struggling deer after her till first its neck andthen its shoulders, then finally the last frantic waving stump of itswhite tail went under the dark waters. 

Out in midstream a white little boat was moving steadily up the riverand on the awning-shaded bridge an indignant young man witnessed thetragedy. The Green One had her larder under a large shelving rock half adozen feet beneath the water. Into this cavity her long hard nose flungher dead victim, and her four powerful hands covered the entrance to thewater cave with sand and rock. More than satisfied with her morning'swork, the Green One came to the surface of the water to bask in theglowing warmth of the morning sunlight. 

She took a survey upon the world, made up of low-lying shores and a hotblue sky. She saw a river, broad and oily, and a strange white objectwhich she had seen often before smoking towards her. 

And that was the last thing she ever saw; for Bones, on the bridge ofthe _Zaire_, squinted along the sights of his Express and pressed thetrigger. Struck in the head by an explosive bullet, the Green One wentout in a flurry of stormy water. 

"Thus perish all rotten old crocodiles, " said Bones, immensely pleasedwith himself, and he placed the rifle on the rack. 

"What the devil are you shooting at, so early in the morning?" askedHamilton. 

He came out in his pyjamas, sun helmet on his head, pliant mosquitoboots reaching to his knees. 

"A crocodile, sir, " said Bones. 

"Why waste good ammunition on crocodiles?" asked Hamilton; "was itsomething exceptional?"

"A tremendous chap, sir, " said the enthusiastic Bones, "some fifty feetlong, and as green as----"

"As green!" repeated Hamilton quickly, "where are we?"

He looked with a swift glance along the shore for landmarks. 

"I hope to goodness you have not shot old M'zooba, " he said. 

"I don't know your friend by name, " said Bones, "but why shouldn't Ishoot him?"

"Because, you silly ass, " said Hamilton, "she is a sort of sacredcrocodile. "

"She was never so sacred as she is now, sir, for:

"She's flapping her wings in the crocodile heaven, " said Bones, flippantly; "for I'm one of those dead shots--once I draw a bead on ananimal----"

"Get out a canoe and set the woodmen to dive for the Green One, " saidHamilton to his orderly, for a shot crocodile invariably sinks to thebottom and can only be recovered by diving. 

They brought it to the surface, and Hamilton groaned. 

"It is M'zooba, " he said in resigned exasperation. "Oh, Bones, what anass you are!"

Bones said nothing, but walked to the stern of the ship and lowered theblue ensign to half-mast--a piece of impertinence which Hamilton did notdiscover till a long time afterwards. 

Now whatever might be the desire or wish of Hamilton, and however muchhe might on ordinary occasions depend upon the loyalty of his wardersand his men, in this matter of the green crocodile he was entirely attheir mercy, for he could not call them together asking them to speak nodeath of the Green One without magnifying the importance of LieutenantTibbetts' rash act. The only attitude he could adopt was to treat theGreen One and her untimely end as something which was in the day's workneither to be lamented nor acclaimed, and when, at the first village, adoleful deputation, comprising a worried chief and a sulky witch doctor, called upon him to bemoan the tragedy, he treated the matter with greatjoviality. 

"For what is a crocodile more or less in this river?" he asked. 

"Lord, this was no crocodile, " said the witch doctor, "but a veryreverend ghost, and it has been our Ju-ju for many years, bringing usgood crops and fair weather for our goodness, and has eaten up all thedevils and sickness which came to our villages. Now it is gone nothingbut ill fortune can come to us. "

"Bugobo, " said Hamilton, "you talk like a foolish one, for how may acrocodile who does not leave the water, and moreover is evil and old, astealer of women and children and dangerous to your goats, how can thisthing bring good fortune to any people?"

"How can the river run, lord?" replied the man, "and yet it does. "

Hamilton thought for a moment. 

"Now I tell you this, and you shall say to all people who ask you, thatby my magic I will bring another green one to this stream, greater andlarger than the one who has gone, and she shall be ju-ju for all men. "

"And now, " he said to Bones, when the deputation had left, "it is up toyou to go out and find a nice, respectable crocodile to take the placeof the lady you have so light-heartedly destroyed. "

Bones gasped. 

"Dear old feller, " he said feebly, "the habits and customs of fauna ofthis land are entirely beyond me. I will fetch you a crocodile, sir, with the greatest of pleasure, although as far as I know there isnothing laid down in the King's regulations of the warrants for pay andpromotion defining the catching of crocodiles as part of an officer'sduty. "

Hamilton made no further move towards replacing the lost Spirit of thePool until he learnt that his offer had been taken very seriously, andthat the coming of the great new Green One to the pool, was a subject ofdiscussion up and down the river. 

Now here is a fact which official records go to substantiate. Althoughthe "Reports of the Territories" take no cognizance of ghosts andspirits and other occult influence, dealing rather with such mundanefacts as the condition of crops and the discipline of the races, yet thereports of that particular year in this one district made gloomy readingboth for Hamilton and for the Administrator in his far-off stone house. 

Though the crops throughout the whole of the country were good thatHamilton was apprehensive about the consequences--for men fight betterwith a full larder behind them--yet in this immediate neighbourhood ofthe pool, within its sphere of influence, so to speak, the crops failedmiserably, and the fish which haunt the shallow stream beneath the bigstream near the channel took it into their silly heads to migrate toother distant waters. Here, then, was the consequence of Bones' murderdemonstrated to a most alarming extent. There was a blight in thepotatoes; the maize crop, for some unaccountable reason, was a meagreone; there were three unexpected cases of sleeping sickness followed bymadness in an interior village, and, crowning disaster of all, one ofthose sudden storms which sweep across the river came upon the village, and lightning struck the huts. 

"My son, " said Hamilton, when they brought the news to him, "you havegot to go out and find a green crocodile, quick. "

So Bones went up the river with the naphtha launch, leaving to Hamiltonthe delicate task of finding a natural explanation for all the horrorswhich had come upon the unfortunate people. 

Green crocodiles are rare even on the great river which had half amillion other kinds of crocodiles to its credit, for green is both asign of age, and by common report indicative of cannibalistictendencies. 

In whatever veneration the Green One of the Pool might be held, suchrespect did not extend to other parts of the river, where the green oneswere sought out and slain in their early youth. Bones spent an excitingseven days chasing, lassoing and, at tunes in self-defence, shooting atgreat reptiles without getting any nearer to the object of his search. 

"Ahmet, " said he, in despair, "it seems that there are no greencrocodiles on this river. "

"Lord, there are very few, " admitted the man; "for the people kill greencrocodiles owing to their evil influence. "

At every village there was news for Bones which lightened his heart. Some one had seen such a monster, it lived in a pool or lorded somecreek, generally only get-at-able in a canoe; and here Bones, with hisHoussas, would wait smoking furiously, with baited lines cunningly laidfrom thick underbrush or some tethered goat, bleating invitingly on thebanks. But never once did the hunter catch so much as a glimpse ofgreen. There were yellow crocodiles, grey crocodiles, crocodiles thecolour of the sand, or the dark brown bed of the river, but nothingwhich by any stretch of imagination could be called green. 

And urgent messages came to Bones. The _Zaire_ itself, in charge ofAbiboo, came steaming up carrying a letter filled with unnecessaryabuse, for Hamilton was getting rattled by the extraordinarymanifestations which he received every day of the potency of this slainmonster. Bones sent the sergeant back in the launch with aninsubordinate message, and commandeered the _Zaire_ with her superioraccommodation for himself. 

"There is only one thing to do, " he said, "and that is to consult jollyold Bosambo. "

So he put the head of the _Zaire_ to the Ochori country, and on thesecond day arrived at the city. 

"Lord, " said Bosambo, loftily, "crocodiles I have by thousands. "

"Green ones?" asked Bones anxiously. 

"Lord, of every colour, " said Bosambo, "blue or green or red, evengolden crocodiles have I in my splendid river. But they will cost greatmoney because they are very cunning, and my hunters of crocodiles areindependent men who do not care to work. "

Bones dried up the flood of eloquence quickly. 

"O Bosambo, " said he, "there is no money for this palaver, but a greencrocodile I must have because the evil people of the Lower Isisi say Ihave put a spell on their land because I slew the Green One, M'zooba, also this crocodile must I have before the moon is due. My LordM'ilitani has sent me many powerful messages to this effect. "

This was another matter, and Bosambo looked dubious. 

"Lord, " said he, "what manner of green was this crocodile, for I neversaw it?"

Bones looked round. 

Neither the green of the trees he saw, nor the green of the grassunderfoot, nor the green of the elephant grass growing strongly on theriver's edge, nor the tender green of the high trees above, nor thetender green of the young Isisi palms; and yet the exact shade of greenit was necessary to secure. He ransacked all his books, turned over allhis possessions and Hamilton's too, in an endeavour to match thecrocodile. There was a suit of pyjamas of Hamilton's which had a stripevery near, but not quite. 

"O Ahmet, " said Bones at last in desperation, "go to the storeman, andlet him bring all the paints he has so that I may show Bosambo a certaincolour. "

They found the exact shade at last on a ten-pound tin of Aspinallenamels, and Bosambo thought long. 

"Lord, " said he, "I think I know where I may find just such a crocodileas you want. "

Late that night Bones met Bosambo before his hut in a long and earnestpalaver, and an hour before dawn he went out with Bosambo and hishuntsmen, and was pulled to a certain creek in the Ochori land which isnotorious for the size and strength of its crocodiles. 

II

No doubt but Hamilton had a serious task before him, for although thegrievance which he had to allay was limited to the restricted area overwhich the spirit of M'zooba brooded, yet the people of the crocodilehad many sympathizers who resented as bitterly as the affected partiesthis interference with what Downing Street called "local religiouscustoms. "

A wholly unauthorized palaver was held in the forest which was attendedby delegations from the Akasava and the N'gombi, and spies brought thenews to Hamilton that the little witch doctors were going through thevillages carrying stories of desolation which had come as the result ofM'zooba's death. 

The palaver Hamilton dispensed with some brusqueness. Twenty soldiersand a machine gun were uninvited guests to the gathering, and themeeting retired in disorder. Two of the witch doctors Hamilton's mencaught. One he flogged with all the village looking on, and the other hesent to the Village of Irons for twelve months. 

And all the time he spoke of the newer green one which was coming, whichhis magic would invoke, and which would surely appear "tied by one leg"to a stake near the pool, for all men to see. 

He founded a sect of new-green-one worshippers (quite unwittingly). Itneeded only the corporeal presence of his novel deity to wipe out thefeelings of distrust which violence had not wholly dispelled. 

Day after day passed, but no word came from Bones, and Captain Hamiltoncursed his subordinate, his subordinate's relations, and all the crueltyof fate which brought Bones into his command. Then, unexpectantly, thetruant arrived, arrived proud and triumphant in the early morningbefore Hamilton was awake. He sneaked into the village so quietly thateven the Houssa sentry who dozed across the threshold of Hamilton's hutwas not aware of his return; and silently, with fiercely whisperedinjunctions, so that the surprise should be all the more complete, Boneslanded his unruly cargo, its feet chained, his great muzzle lassoed andbound with raw hide, its powerful and damaging tail firmly fixed betweentwo planks of wood (a special idea for which Bones was responsible). Then Lieutenant Tibbetts went to the hut of his chief and woke him. 

"So here you are, are you?" said Hamilton. 

"I am here, " said Bones with trembling pride, so that Hamilton knew hissubordinate had been successful; "according to your instructions, sir, Ihave captured the green crocodile. He is of monstrous size, and vastlysuperior to your partly-worn lady friend. Also, " he said, "as per yourinstructions, conveyed to me in your letter dated the twenty-thirdinstant, I have fastened same by right leg in the vicinity of the pool;at least, " he corrected carefully, "he was fastened, but owing tocertain technical difficulties he slipped cable, so to speak, and iswallowing in his native element. "

"You are not rotting, Bones, are you?" asked Hamilton, busy with histoilet. 

"Perfectly true and sound, sir, I never rot, " said Bones stiffly; "giveme a job of work to do, give me a task, put me upon my metal, sir, andwith the assistance of jolly old Bosambo----"

"Is Bosambo in this?"

Bones hesitated. 

"He assisted me very considerably, sir, " he said; "but, so to speak, themain idea was mine. "

The chief's drum summoned the villages to the palaver house, but thenews had already filtered through the little township, and a crowd hadgathered waiting eagerly to hear the message which Hamilton had to givethem. 

"O people, " he said, addressing them from the hill of palaver, "all Ihave promised you I have performed. Behold now in the pool--and youshall come with me to see this wonder--is one greater than M'zooba, avast and splendid spirit which shall protect your crops and be asM'zooba was, and better than was M'zooba. All this I have done for you. "

"Lord Tibbetti has done for you, " prompted Bones, in a hoarse whisper. 

"All this have I done for you, " repeated Hamilton firmly, "because Ilove you. "

He led the way through the broad, straggling plantation to the greatpool which begins in a narrow creek leading from the river and ends in asprawl of water to the east of the village. 

The whole countryside stood about watching the still water, but nothinghappened. 

"Can't you whistle him and make him come up or something?" askedHamilton. 

"Sir, " said an indignant Bones, "I am no crocodile tamer; willing as Iam to oblige you, and clever as I am with parlour tricks, I have notyet succeeded in inducing a crocodile to come to heel after a week'sacquaintance. "

But native people are very patient. 

They stood or squatted, watching the unmoved surface of the water forhalf an hour, and then suddenly there was a stir and a little gasp ofpleasurable apprehension ran through the assembly. 

Then slowly the new one came up. He made for a sand-bank, which showedabove the water in the centre of the pool; first his snout, then hislong body emerged from the water, and Hamilton gasped. 

"Good heavens, Bones!" he said in a startled whisper, and hisastonishment was echoed from a thousand throats. 

And well might he be amazed at the spectacle which the complacent Boneshad secured for him. 

For this great reptile was more than green, he was a green so vivid thatit put the colours of the forest to shame. A bright, glittering greenand along the centre of his broad back one zig-zag splash of orange. 

"Phew, " whistled Hamilton, "this is something like. "

The roar of approval from the people was unmistakable. The crocodileturned his evil head and for a moment, as it seemed to Bones, his eyesglinted viciously in the direction of the young and enterprisingofficer. And Bones admitted after to a feeling of panic. 

Then with a malignant "woof!" like the hoarse, growling bark of a dog, magnified a hundred times, he slid back into the water, a great livingstreak of vivid green and disappeared to the cool retreat at the bottomof the pool. 

"You have done splendidly, Bones, splendidly!" said Hamilton, andclapped him on the back; "really you are a most enterprising devil. "

"Not at all, sir, " said Bones. 

He ate his dinner on the _Zaire_, answering with monosyllables thequestions which Hamilton put to him regarding the quest and the place ofthe origin of this wonderful beast. It was after dinner when they weresmoking their cigars in the gloom as the _Zaire_ was steaming across itsway to the shore where a wooding offered an excuse for a night's stay, and Bones gave voice to his thoughts. 

And curiously enough his conversation did not deal directly orindirectly with his discovery. 

"When was this boat decorated last, sir?" he asked. 

"About six months before Sanders left, " replied Hamilton in surprise;"just why do you ask?"

"Nothing, sir, " said Bones, and whistled light-heartedly. Then hereturned to the subject. 

"I only asked you because I thought the enamel work in the cabin and allthat sort of thing has worn very well. "

"Yes, it is good wearing stuff, " said Hamilton. 

"That green paint in the bathroom is rather _chic_, isn't it? Is thatgood wearing stuff?"

"The enamel?" smiled Hamilton. "Yes, I believe that is very goodwearing. I am not a whale on domestic matters, Bones, but I shouldimagine that it would last for another year without showing any sign ofwear. "

"Is it waterproof at all?" asked Bones, after another pause. 

"What do you mean?"

"I mean would it wash off if a lot of water were applied to it?"

"No, I should not imagine it would, " said Hamilton, "what makes youask?"

"Oh, nothing!" said Bones carelessly and whistled, looking up to thestars that were peeping from the sky; and the inside of LieutenantTibbetts was one large expansive grin. 

CHAPTER X

HENRY HAMILTON BONES

Lieutenant Francis Augustus Tibbetts of the Houssas was at somedisadvantage with his chief and friend. Lieutenant F. A. Tibbetts mighttake a perfectly correct attitude, might salute on every possibleoccasion that a man could salute, might click his heels together in theGerman fashion (he had spent a year at Heidelberg), might be stifflyformal and so greet his superior that he contrived to combine a dutifulrecognition with the cut direct, but never could he overcome one fatalobstacle to marked avoidance--he had to grub with Hamilton. 

Bones was hurt. Hamilton had behaved to him as no brother officer shouldbehave. Hamilton had spoken harshly and cruelly in the matter of acommission with which he had entrusted his subordinate, and with whichthe aforesaid subordinate had lamentably failed to cope. 

Up in the Akasava country a certain wise man named M'bisibi hadpredicted the coming of a devil-child who should be born on a night whenthe moon lay so on the river and certain rains had fallen in theforest. 

And this child should be called "Ewa, " which is death; and first hismother would die and then his father; and he would grow up to be ascourge to his people and a pestilence to his nation, and crops wouldwither when he walked past them, and the fish in the river would floatbelly up in stinking death, and until Ewa M'faba himself went out, nothing but ill-fortune should come to the N'gombi-Isisi. 

Thus M'bisibi predicted, and the word went up and down the river, forthe prophet was old and accounted wise even by Bosambo of the Ochori. 

It came to Hamilton quickly enough, and he had sent Bones post-haste toawait the advent of any unfortunate youngster who was tactless enough toput in an appearance at such an inauspicious moment as would fulfil theprediction of M'bisibi. 

And Bones had gone to the wrong village, and that in the face of hissteersman's and his sergeant's protest that he was going wrong. Fortunately, by reliable account, no child had been born in the village, and the prediction was unfulfilled. 

"Otherwise, " said Hamilton, "its young life would have been on yourhead. "

"Yes, sir, " said Bones. 

"I didn't tell you there were two villages called Inkau, " Hamiltonconfessed, "because I didn't realize you were chump enough to go to thewrong one. "

"No, sir, " agreed Bones, patiently. 

"Naturally, " said Hamilton, "I thought the idea of saving the lives ofinnocent babes would have been sufficient incentive. "

"Naturally, sir, " said Bones, with forced geniality. 

"I've come to one conclusion about you, Bones, " said Hamilton. 

"Yes, sir, " said Bones, "that I'm an ass, sir, I think?"

Hamilton nodded--it was too hot to speak. 

"It was an interestin' conclusion, " said Bones, thoughtfully, "notwithout originality--when it first occurred to you, but as a conclusion, if you will pardon my criticism, sir, if you will forgive me forsuggestin' as much--in callin' me an ass, sir: apart from its bein'contrary to the spirit an' letter of the Army Act--God Save theKing!--it's a bit low, sir. " And he left his superior officer withoutanother word. For three days they sat at breakfast, tiffin and dinner, and neither said more than:

"May I pass you the bread, sir?"

"Thank you, sir; have you the salt, sir?"

Hamilton was so busy a man that he might have forgotten the feud, butfor the insistence of Bones, who never lost an opportunity of remindinghis No. 1 that he was mortally hurt. 

One night, dinner had reached the stage where two young officers ofHoussas sat primly side by side on the verandah sipping their coffee. Neither spoke, and the séance might have ended with the conventional"Good night" and that punctilious salute which Bones invariably gave, and which Hamilton as punctiliously returned, but for the apparition ofa dark figure which crossed the broad space of parade groundhesitatingly as though not certain of his way, and finally came withdragging feet through Sanders' garden to the edge of the verandah. 

It was the figure of a small boy, very thin; Hamilton could see thisthrough the half-darkness. 

The boy was as naked as when he was born, and he carried in his hand asingle paddle. 

"O boy, " said Hamilton, "I see you. "

"Wanda!" said the boy in a frightened tone, and hesitated, as though hewere deciding whether it would be better to bolt, or to conclude hisdesperate enterprise. 

"Come up to me, " said Hamilton, kindly. 

He recognized by the dialect that the visitor had come a long way, asindeed he had, for his old canoe was pushed up amongst the elephantgrass a mile away from headquarters, and he had spent three days andnights upon the river. He came up, an embarrassed and a frightened lad, and stood twiddling his toes on the unaccustomed smoothness of the bigstoep. 

"Where do you come from, and why have you come?" asked Hamilton. 

"Lord, I have come from the village of M'bisibi, " said the boy; "mymother has sent me because she fears for her life, my father being awayon a great hunt. As for me, " he went on, "my name is Tilimi-N'kema. "

"Speak on, Tilimi the Monkey, " said Hamilton, "tell me why the womanyour mother fears for her life. "

The boy was silent for a spell; evidently he was trying to recall theexact formula which had been dinned into his unreceptive brain, and torepeat word for word the lesson which he had learned parrotwise. 

"Thus says the woman my mother, " he said at last, with the blank, monotonous delivery peculiar to all small boys who have been rehearsedin speech, "on a certain day when the moon was at full and the rain wasin the forest so that we all heard it in the village, my mother bore achild who is my own brother, and, lord, because she feared things whichthe old man M'bisibi had spoken she went into the forest to a certainwitch doctor, and there the child was born. To my mind, " said the lad, with a curious air of wisdom which is the property of the youthfulnative from whom none of the mysteries of life or death are hidden, "itis better she did this, for they would have made a sacrifice of herchild. Now when she came back, and they spoke to her, she said that theboy was dead. But this is the truth, lord, that she had left this childwith the witch doctor, and now----" he hesitated again. 

"And now?" repeated Hamilton. 

"Now, lord, " said the boy, "this witch doctor, whose name is Bogolono, says she must bring him rich presents at the full of every moon, becauseher son and my brother is the devil-child whom M'bisibi has predicted. And if she brings no rich presents he will take the child to thevillage, and there will be an end. "

Hamilton called his orderly. 

"Give this boy some chop, " he said; "to-morrow we will have a longerpalaver. "

He waited till the man and his charge were out of earshot, then heturned to Bones. 

"Bones, " he said, seriously, "I think you had better leave unobtrusivelyfor M'bisibi's village, find the woman, and bring her to safety. Youwill know the village, " he added, unnecessarily, "it is the one youdidn't find last time. "

Bones left insubordinately and made no response. 

 * * * * *

II

Bosambo, with his arms folded across his brawny chest, looked curiouslyat the deputation which had come to him. 

"This is a bad palaver, " said Bosambo, "for it seems to me that whenlittle chiefs do that which is wrong, it is an ill thing; but when greatkings, such as your master Iberi, stand at the back of such wrongdoings, that is the worst thing of all, and though this M'bisibi is a wise man, as we all know, and indeed the only wise man of your people, has broughtout this devil-child, and makes a killing palaver, then M'ilitani willcome very quickly with his soldiers and there will be an end to littlechiefs and big chiefs alike. "

"Lord, that will be so, " said the messenger, "unless all chiefs in theland stand in brotherhood together. And because we know Sandi loves you, and M'ilitani also, and that Tibbetti himself is as tender to you as abrother, M'bisibi sent this word saying, 'Go to Bosambo, and sayM'bisibi, the wise man, bids him come to a great and fearful palavertouching the matter of several devils. Tell him also that great evilwill come to this land, to his land and to mine, to his wife and thewives of his counsellors, and to his children and theirs, unless we makean end to certain devils. '"

Bosambo, chin on clenched fist, looked thoughtfully at the other. 

"This cannot be, " said he in a troubled voice; "for though I die and allthat is wonderful to me shall pass out of this world, yet I must do nothing which is unlawful in the eyes of Sandi, my master, and of thegreat ones he has left behind to fulfil the law. Say this to M'bisibifrom me, that I think he is very wise and understands ghosts andsuch-like palavers. Also say that if he puts curses upon my huts I willcome with my spearmen to him, and if aught follows I will hang him bythe ears from a high tree, though he sleeps with ghosts and commandswhole armies of devils; this palaver is finished. "

The messenger carried the word back to M'bisibi and the council of thechiefs and the eldermen who sat in the palaver house, and old as he wasand wise by all standards, M'bisibi shivered, for, as he explained, thatwhich Bosambo said would he do. For this is peculiar to no race orcolour, that old men love life dearer than young. 

"Bogolono, you shall bring the child, " he said, turning to one who satat his side, string upon string of human teeth looped about his neck andhis eyes circled with white ashes, "and it shall be sacrificed accordingto the custom, as it was in the days of my fathers and of theirfathers. "

They chose a spot in the forest, where four young trees stood at cornersof a rough square. With their short bush knives they lopped the tenderbranches away, leaving four pliant poles that bled stickily. With greatcare they drew down the tops of these trees until they nearly met, cutting the heads so that there was no overlapping. To these four endsthey fastened ropes, one for each arm and for each ankle of the devilchild, and with other ropes they held the saplings to their place. 

"Now this is the magic of it, " said M'bisibi, "that when the moon isfull to-night we shall sacrifice first a goat, and then a fowl, castingcertain parts into the fire which shall be made of white gum, and I willmake certain marks upon the child's face and upon his belly, and then Iwill cut these ropes so that to the four ends of the world we shall castforth this devil, who will no longer trouble us. "

That night came many chiefs, Iberi of the Akasava, Tilini of the LesserIsisi, Efele (the Tornado) of the N'gombi, Lisu (the Seer) of the InnerTerritories, but Lilongo[12] (as they called Bosambo of the Ochori), didnot come. 

[Footnote 12: "Lilongo" is from the noun "balongo"--blood, and meansliterally "he-who-breaks-blood-friendships. "--E. W. ]

 * * * * *

III

Bones reached the village two hours before the time of sacrifice andlanded a force of twenty Houssas and a small Maxim gun. The village waspeaceable, and there was no sign of anything untoward. Save this. Thevillage was given over to old people and children. M'bisibi was anhour--two hours--four hours in the forest. He had gonenorth--east--south--none knew whither. 

The very evasiveness of the replies put Bones into a fret. He scoutedthe paths and found indications of people having passed over all three. 

He sent his gun back to the _Zaire_, divided his party into three, andaccompanied by half a dozen men, he himself took the middle path. 

For an hour he trudged, losing his way, and finding it again. He cameupon a further division of paths and split up his little force again. 

In the end he found himself alone, struggling over the rough ground in adarkness illuminated only by the electric lamp he carried, and makingfor a faint gleam of red light which showed through the trees ahead. 

M'bisibi held the child on his outstretched hands, a fat little child, with large, wondering eyes that stared solemnly at the dancing flames, and sucked a small brown thumb contentedly. 

"Behold this child, oh chiefs and people, " said M'bisibi, "who was bornas I predicted, and is filled with devils!"

The baby turned his head so that his fat little neck was all rolled andcreased, and said "Ah!" to the pretty fire, and chuckled. 

"Even now the devils speak, " said M'bisibi, "but presently you shallhear them screaming through the world because I have scattered them, "and he made his way to the bowed saplings. 

Bones, his face scratched and bleeding, his uniform torn in a dozenplaces, came swiftly after him. 

"My bird, I think, " said Bones, and caught the child unscientifically. 

Picture Bones with a baby under his arm--a baby indignant, outraged, infernally uncomfortable, and grimacing a yell into being. 

"Lord, " said M'bisibi, breathing quickly, "what do you seek?"

"That which I have, " said Bones, waving him off with the black muzzle ofhis automatic Colt. "Tomorrow you shall answer for many crimes. "

He backed quickly to the cover of the woods, scenting the trouble thatwas coming. 

He heard the old man's roar. 

"O people ... This white man will loose devils upon the land!"

Then a throwing spear snicked the trunk of a tree, and another, forthere were no soldiers, and this congregation of exorcisers were madwith wrath at the thought of the evil which Tibbetti was preparing forthem. 

"Snick!"

A spear struck Bones' boot. 

"Shut your eyes, baby, " said Bones, and fired into the brown. Then heran for his life. Over roots and fallen trees he fell and stumbled, histiny passenger yelling desperately. 

"Oh, shut up!" snarled Bones, "what the dickens are you shoutingabout--hey? Haven't I saved your young life, you ungrateful littledevil?"

Now and again he would stop to consult his illuminated compass. That thepursuit continued he knew, but he had the dubious satisfaction ofknowing, too, that he had left the path and was in the forest. 

Then he heard a faint shot, and another, and another, and grinned. 

His pursuers had stumbled upon a party of Houssas. 

From sheer exhaustion the baby had fallen asleep. Babies wereconfoundedly heavy--Bones had never observed the fact before, but withthe strap of his sword belt he fashioned a sling that relieved him ofsome of the weight. 

He took it easier now, for he knew M'bisibi's men would be frightenedoff. He rested for half an hour on the ground, and then came a snufflingleopard walking silently through the forest, betraying his presenceonly by the two green danger-lamps of his eyes. 

Bones sat up and flourished his lamp upon the startled beast, whichgrowled in fright, and went scampering through the forest like the greatcat that he was. 

The growl woke Bones' charge, and he awoke hungry and disinclined tofurther sleep without that inducement and comfort which his nurse was inno position to offer, whereupon Bones snuggled the whimpering child. 

"He's a wicked old leopard!" he said, "to come and wake a child at thistime of the night. "

The knuckle of Bones' little finger soothed the baby, though it was apoor substitute for the nutriment it had every right to expect, and itwhimpered itself to sleep. 

Lieutenant Tibbetts looked at his compass again. He had located theshots to eastward, but he did not care to make a bee-line in thatdirection for fear of falling upon some of the enemy, whom he knew wouldbe, at this time, making their way to the river. 

For two hours before dawn he snatched a little sleep, and was awakenedby a fierce tugging at his nose. He got up, laid the baby on the softground, and stood with arms akimbo, and his monocle firmly fixed, surveying his noisy companion. 

"What the dooce are you making all this row about?" he askedindignantly. "Have a little patience, young feller, exercise a little_suaviter in modo_, dear old baby!"

But still the fat little morsel on the ground continued his noisymonologue, protesting in a language which is of an age rather than of arace, against the cruelty and the thoughtlessness and the distressinglack of consideration which his elder and better was showing him. 

"I suppose you want some grub, " said Bones, in dismay; and looked roundhelplessly. 

He searched the pocket of his haversack, and had the good fortune tofind a biscuit; his vacuum flask had just half a cup of warm tea. He fedthe baby with soaked biscuit and drank the tea himself. 

"You ought to have a bath or something, " said Bones, severely; but itwas not until an hour later that he found a forest pool in which toperform the ablution. 

At three o'clock in the afternoon, as near as he could judge, for hiswatch had stopped, he struck a path, and would have reached the villagebefore sundown, but for the fact that he again missed the path, andlearnt of this fact about the same time he discovered he had lost hiscompass. 

Bones looked dismally at the wide-awake child. 

"Dear old companion in arms, " he said, gloomily, "we are lost. "

The baby's face creased in a smile. 

"It's nothing to laugh about, you silly ass, " said Bones. 

IV

"Master, of our Lord Tibbetti I do not know, " said M'bisibi sullenly. 

"Yet you shall know before the sun is black, " said Hamilton, "and youryoung men shall find him, or there is a tree for you, old man, a quickdeath by _Ewa_!"

"I have sought, my lord, " said M'bisibi, "all my hunters have searchedthe forest, yet we have not found him. A certain devil-pot is here. "

He fumbled under a native cloth and drew forth Bones' compass. 

"This only could we find on the forest path that leads to Inilaki. "

"And the child is with him?"

"So men say, " said M'bisibi, "though by my magic I know that the childwill die, for how can a white man who knows nothing of little childrengive him life and comfort? Yet, " he amended carefully, since it wasnecessary to preserve the character of the intended victim, "if thischild is indeed a devil child, as I believe, he will lead my lordTibbetti to terrible places and return himself unharmed. "

"He will lead you to a place more terrible, " said M'ilitani, significantly, and sent a nimble climber into the trees to fasten ablock and tackle to a stout branch, and thread a rope through. 

It was so effective that M'bisibi, an old man, became most energeticallyactive. _Lokali_ and swift messengers sent his villages to the search. Every half-hour the Hotchkiss gun of the _Zaire_ banged noisily; andHamilton, tramping through the woods, felt his heart sink as hour afterhour passed without news of his comrade. 

"I tell you this, lord, " said the headman, who accompanied him, "that Ithink Tibbetti is dead and the child also. For this wood is filled withghosts and savage beasts, also many strong and poisonous snakes. See, lord!" He pointed. 

They had reached a clearing where the grass was rich and luxuriant, where overshadowing branches formed an idealic bower, where heavy whitewaxen flowers were looped from branch to branch holding the green boughsin their parasitical clutch. Hamilton followed the direction of hiseyes. In the middle of the clearing a long, sinuous shape, dark brown, and violently coloured with patches of green and vermillion, that wasswaying backward and forward, hissing angrily at some object before it. 

"Good God!" said Hamilton, and dropped his hand on his revolver, butbefore it was clear of his holster, there came a sharp crack, and thesnake leapt up and fell back as a bullet went snip-snapping through theundergrowth. Then Hamilton saw Bones. Bones in his shirtsleeves, bareheaded, his big pipe in his mouth, who came hurriedly through thetrees pistol in hand. 

"Naughty boy!" he said, reproachfully, and stooping, picked up asqualling brown object from the ground. "Didn't Daddy tell you not togo near those horrid snakes? Daddy spank you----"

Then he caught sight of the amazed Hamilton, clutched the baby in onehand, and saluted with the other. 

"Baby present and correct, sir, " he said, formally. 

 * * * * *

"What are you going to do with it?" asked Hamilton, after Bones hadindulged in the luxury of a bath and had his dinner. 

"Do with what, sir?" asked Bones. 

"With this?"

Hamilton pointed to a crawling morsel who was at that moment looking upto Bones for approval. 

"What do you expect me to do, sir?" asked Bones, stiffly; "the mother isdead and he has no father. I feel a certain amount of responsibilityabout Henry. "

"And who the dickens is Henry?" asked Hamilton. 

Bones indicated the child with a fine gesture. 

"Henry Hamilton Bones, sir, " he said grandly. "The child of theregiment, " he went on; "adopted by me to be a prop for my decliningyears, sir. "

"Heaven and earth!" said Hamilton, breathlessly. 

He went aft to recover his nerve, and returned to become an unseenspectator to a purely domestic scene, for Bones had immersed thesqualling infant in his own india-rubber bath, and was gingerly cleaninghim with a mop. 

CHAPTER XI

BONES AT M'FA

Hamilton of the Houssas coming down to headquarters met Bosambo byappointment at the junction of the rivers. 

"O Bosambo, " said Hamilton, "I have sent for you to make a _likambo_because of certain things which my other eyes have seen and my otherears have heard. "

To some men this hint of report from the spies of Government might bringdismay and apprehension, but to Bosambo, whose conscience was clear, they awakened only curiosity. 

"Lord, I am your eyes in the Ochori, " he said with truth, "and God knowsI report faithfully. "

Hamilton nodded. He was yellow with fever, and the hand that filled thebriar pipe shook with ague. All this Bosambo saw. 

"It is not of you I speak, nor of your people, but of the Akasava andthe N'gombi and the evil little men who live in the forest--now is ittrue that they speak mockingly of my lord Tibbetti?"

Bosambo hesitated. 

"Lord, " said he, "what dogs are they, that they should speak of themighty? Yet I will not lie to you, M'ilitani: they mock Tibbetti, because he is young and his heart is pure. "

Hamilton nodded again, and stuck out his jaw in troubled meditation. 

"I am a sick man, " he said, "and I must rest, sending Tibbetti to watchthe river, because the crops are good and there is fish for all men, andbecause the people are prosperous, for, Bosambo, in such times there ismuch boastfulness, and the tribes are ripe for foolish deeds deservingto appear wonderful in the eyes of woman. "

"All this I know, M'ilitani, " said Bosambo, "and because you are sick, my heart and my stomach are sore. For though I do not love you as I loveSandi, who is more clever than you, yet I love you well enough togrieve. And Tibbetti also----"

He paused. 

"He is young, " said Hamilton, "and not yet grown to himself--now you, Bosambo, shall check men who are insolent to his face, and be to him asa strong right hand. "

"On my head and my life, " said Bosambo, "yet, lord M'ilitani, I thinkthat his day will find him, for it is written in the Sura of the Djinthat all men are born three times, and the day will come when Bonzi willbe born again. "

He was in his canoe before Hamilton realized what he had said. 

"Tell me, Bosambo, " said he, leaning over the side of the _Zaire_, "what name did you call my lord Tibbetti?"

"Bonzi, " said Bosambo, innocently, "for such I have heard you call him. "

"Oh, dog of a thief!" stormed Hamilton. "If you speak without respect ofTibbetti, I will break your head. "

Bosambo looked up with a glint in his big, black eyes. 

"Lord, " he said, softly, "it is said on the river 'speak only the wordswhich high ones speak, and you can say no wrong, ' and if you, who arewiser than any, call my lord 'Bonzi'--what goat am I that I should notcall him 'Bonzi' also?"

Hamilton saw the canoe drift round, saw the flashing paddles dipregularly, and the chant of the Ochori boat song came fainter andfainter as Bosambo's state canoe began its long journey northward. 

Hamilton reached headquarters with a temperature of 105, and declinedBones' well-meant offers to look after him. 

"What you want, dear old officer, " said Bones, fussing around, "iscareful nursin'. Trust old Bones and he'll pull you back to health, sir. Keep up your pecker, sir, an' I'll bring you back so to speak from thevalley of the shadow--go to bed an' I'll have a mustard plaster on yourchest in half a jiffy. "

"If you come anywhere near me with a mustard plaster, " said Hamilton, pardonably annoyed, "I'll brain you!"

"Don't you think!" asked Bones anxiously, "that you ought to put yourfeet in mustard and water, sir--awfully good tonic for a feller, sir. Bucks you up an' all that sort of thing, sir; uncle of mine who used totake too much to drink----"

"The only chance for me, " said Hamilton, "is for you to clear out andleave me alone. Bones--quit fooling: I'm a sick man, and you've anyamount of responsibility. Go up to the Isisi and watch things--it'spretty hard to say this to you, but I'm in your hands. "

Bones said nothing. 

He looked down at the fever-stricken man and thrust his hands in hispockets. 

"You see, old Bones, " said Hamilton, and now his friend heard theweariness and the weakness in his voice, "Sanders has a hold on thesechaps that I haven't quite got ... And ... And ... Well, you haven't gotat all. I don't want to hurt your feelings, but you're young, Bones, andthese devils know how amiable you are. "

"I'm an ass, sir, " muttered Bones, shakily, "an' somehow I understandthat this is the time in my jolly old career when I oughtn't to be anass.... I'm sorry, sir. "

Hamilton smiled up at him. 

"It isn't for Sanders' sake or mine or your own, Bones--but for--well, for the whole crowd of us--white folk. You'll have to do your best, oldman. "

Bones took the other's hand, snivelled a bit despite his fierce effortof restraint, and went aboard the _Zaire_. 

 * * * * *

"Tell all men, " said B'chumbiri, addressing his impassive relatives, "that I go to a great day and to many strange lands. "

He was tall and knobby-kneed, spoke with a squeak at the end of hisdeeper sentences, and about his tired eyes he had made a red circle withcamwood. Round his head he had twisted a wire so tightly that it all butcut the flesh: this was necessary, for B'chumbiri had a headache whichnever left him day or night. 

Now he stood, his lank body wrapped in a blanket, and he looked withdull eyes from face to face. 

"I see you, " he said at last, and repeated his motto which had somethingto do with monkeys. 

They watched him go down the street towards the beech where the easiestcanoe in the village was moored. 

"It is better if we go after him and put out his eyes, " said his elderbrother; "else who knows what damage he will do for which we must pay?"

Only B'chumbiri's mother looked after him with a mouth that drooped atthe side, for he was her only son, all the others being by other wivesof Mochimo. 

His father and his uncle stood apart and whispered, and presently when, with a great waving of arms, B'chumbiri had embarked, they went out ofthe village by the forest path and ran tirelessly till they struck theriver at its bend. 

"Here we will wait, " panted the uncle, "and when B'chumbiri comes wewill call him to land, for he has the sickness _mongo_. "

"What of Sandi?" asked the father, who was no gossip. 

"Sandi is gone, " replied the other, "and there is no law. "

Presently B'chumbiri came sweeping round the bend, singing in his poor, cracked voice about a land and a people and treasures ... He turned hiscanoe at his father's bidding, and came obediently to land.... 

Overhead the sky was a vivid blue, and the water which moved quicklybetween the rocky channel of the Lower Isisi caught something of theblue, though the thick green of elephant grass by the water's edge andthe overhanging spread of gum trees took away from the clarity ofreflection. 

There was, too, a gentle breeze and a pleasing absence of flies, so thata man might get under the red and white striped awning of the _Zaire_and think or read or dream dreams, and find life a pleasant experience, and something to be thankful for. 

Such a day does not often come upon the river, but if it does, the deepchannel of the Isisi focuses all the joy of it. Here the river runs asstraight as a canal for six miles, the current swifter and strongerbetween the guiding banks than elsewhere. There are rocks, charted andknown, for the bed of the river undergoes no change, the swift waterscarry no sands to choke the fairway, navigation is largely a matter ofengine power and rule of thumb. Going slowly up stream a little morethan two knots an hour, the _Zaire_ was for once a pleasure steamer. Herlong-barrelled Hotchkiss guns were hidden in their canvas jackets, theMaxims were lashed to the side of the bridge out of sight, andLieutenant Augustus Tibbetts, who sprawled in a big wicker-work chairwith an illustrated paper on his knees, a nasal-toned phonograph at hisfeet, and a long glass of lemon squash at his elbow, had little to dobut pass the pleasant hours in the most pleasant occupation he couldconceive, which was the posting of a diary, which he hoped on somefuture occasion to publish. 

A shout, quick and sharp, brought him to his feet, a stifflyoutstretched hand pointed to the waters. 

"What the dooce----" demanded Bones indignantly, and looked over theside.... He saw the pitiful thing that rolled slowly in the swiftcurrent, and the homely face of Bones hardened. 

"Damn, " he said, and the wheel of the _Zaire_ spun, and the little boatcame broadside to the stream before the threshing wheel got purchase onthe water. 

It was Bones' sinewy hand that gripped the poor arm and brought the bodyto the side of the canoe into which he had jumped as the boat cameround. 

"Um, " said Bones, seeing what he saw; "who knows this man?"

"Lord, " said a wooding man, "this is B'chumbiri who was mad, and helived in the village near by. "

"There will we go, " said Bones, very gravely. 

Now all the people of M'fa knew that the father of B'chumbiri and hisuncle had put away the tiresome youth with his headache and his sillytalk, and when there came news that the _Zaire_ was beating her way tothe village there was a hasty _likambo_ of the eldermen. 

"Since this is neither Sandi nor M'ilitani who comes, " said the chief, an old man, N'jela ("the Bringer"), "but Moon-in-the-Eye, who is achild, let us say that B'chumbiri fell into the water so that thecrocodiles had him, and if he asks us who slew B'chumbiri--for it may bethat he knows--let none speak, and afterwards we will tell M'ilitanithat we did not understand him. "

With this arrangement all agreed; for surely here was a palaver not tobe feared. 

Bones came with his escort of Houssas. 

From the dark interiors of thatched huts men and women watched his thinfigure going up the street, and laughed. 

Nor did they laugh softly. Bones heard the chuckles of unseen people, divined that contempt, and his lips trembled. He felt an immenseloneliness--all the weight of government was pressed down upon his head, it overwhelmed, it smothered him. 

Yet he kept a tight hold upon himself, and by a supreme effort of willshowed no sign of his perturbation. 

The palaver was of little value to Bones; the village was blandlyinnocent of murder or knowledge of murder. More than this, all menstoutly swore that the thing that lay upon the foreshore foridentification, surrounded by a crowd of frowning and frightened littleboys lured by the very gruesomeness of the spectacle, was unknown, andlaughed openly at the suggestion that it was B'chumbiri, who (said they)had gone a Journey into the forest. 

There was little short of open mockery and defiance when they pointedout certain indications that went to prove that this man was not of theAkasava, but of the higher Isisi. 

So Bones' visit was fruitless. 

He dismissed the palaver and walked back to his ship, and worked theriver, village by village, with no more satisfactory result. That nightin the little town of M'fa there was a dance and a jubilation tocelebrate the cunning of a people who had outwitted and overawed thelords of the land, but the next day came Bosambo, who had established asystem of espionage more far-reaching, and possibly more effective, thanthe service which the Government had instituted. 

Liberties they might take with Bones; but they sat discomforted inpalaver before this alien chief, swathed in monkey tails, his shield inone hand, and his bunch of spears in the other. 

"All things I know, " said Bosambo, when they told him what they had totell, "and it has come to me that you have spoken lightly of Tibbetti, who is my friend and my master, and is well beloved of Sandi. Also theytell me that you smiled at him. Now I tell you there will come a daywhen you will not smile, and that day is near at hand. "

"Lord, " said the chief, "he made with us a foolish palaver, believingthat we had put away B'chumbiri. "

"And he shall return to that foolish palaver, " said Bosambo grimly, "andif he goes away unsatisfied, behold I will come, and I will take yourold men, and I will hang them by hooks into a tree and roast their feet. For if there is no Sandi and no law, behold I am Sandi and I law, doingthe will of a certain bearded king, Togi-tani. "

He left the village of M'fa a little unhappy for the space of a day, when, native-like, they forgot all that he had said. 

In the meantime, up and down the river went Bones, palavers which lastedfrom sunrise to sunset being his portion. 

He had in his mind one vital fact, that for the honour of his race andfor the credit of his administration he must bring to justice the manwho slew the thing which he had found in the river. Chiefs and eldersmet him with scarcely concealed scorn, and waited expectantly to hearhis strong, foreign language. But in this they were disappointed, forBones spoke nothing but the language of the river, and little of it. 

He went on board the _Zaire_ on the ninth night after his discovery, dispirited and sick at heart. 

"It seems to me, Ahmet, " he said to the Houssa sergeant who stoodwaiting silently by the table where his meagre dinner was laid, "that noman speaks the truth in this cursed land, and that they do not fear meas they fear Sandi. "

"Lord, it is so, " said Ahmet; "for, as your lordship knows, Sandi wasvery terrible, and then, O Tibbetti, he is an older man, very wise inthe ways of these people, and very cunning to see their heart. All greattrees grow slowly, O my lord! and that which springs up in a night diesin a day. "

Bones pondered this for a while, then:

"Wake me at dawn, " he said. "I go back to M'fa for the last palaver, andif this palaver be a bad one, be sure you shall not see my face againupon the river. "

Bones spoke truly, his resignation, written in his sprawling hand, layenveloped and sealed in his cabin ready for dispatch. He stopped hissteamer at a village six miles from M'fa, and sent a party of Houssas tothe village with a message. 

The chief was to summon all eldermen, and all men responsible to theGovernment, the wearers of medals and the holders of rights, all landmenand leaders of hunters, the captains of spears, and the first headmen. Even to the witch doctors he called together. 

"O soldier!" said the chief, dubiously, "what happens to me if I do notobey his commands? For my men are weary, having hunted in the forest, and my chiefs do not like long palavers concerning law. "

"That may be, " said Ahmet, calmly. "But when my lord calls you topalaver you must obey, otherwise I take you, I and my strong men, to theVillage of Irons, there to rest for a while to my lord's pleasure. "

So the chief sent messengers and rattled his _lokali_ to some purpose, bringing headmen and witch doctors, little and great chiefs, andspearmen of quality, to squat about the palaver house on the little hillto the east of the village. 

Bones came with an escort of four men. He walked slowly up the cut stepsin the hillside and sat upon the stool to the chief's right; and nosooner had he seated himself than, without preliminary, he began tospeak. And he spoke of Sanders, of his splendour and his power; of hislove for all people and his land, and also M'ilitani, who these menrespected because of his devilish blue eyes. 

At first he spoke slowly, because he found a difficulty in breathing, and then as he found himself, grew more and more lucid and took a largergrasp of the language. 

"Now, " said he, "I come to you, being young in the service of theGovernment, and unworthy to tread in my lord Sandi's way. Yet I hold thelaws in my two hands even as Sandi held them, for laws do not changewith men, neither does the sun change whatever be the land upon whichit shines. Now, I say to you and to all men, deliver to me the slayer ofB'chumbiri that I may deal with him according to the law. "

There was a dead silence, and Bones waited. 

Then the silence grew into a whisper, from a whisper into a babble ofsuppressed talk, and finally somebody laughed. Bones stood up, for thiswas his supreme moment. 

"Come out to me, O killer!" he said softly, "for who am I that I caninjure you? Did I not hear some voice say _g'la_, and is not _g'la_ thename of a fool? O, wise and brave men of the Akasava who sit therequietly, daring not so much as to hit a finger before one who is afool!"

Again the silence fell. Bones, his helmet on the back of his head, hishands thrust into his pockets, came a little way down the hill towardsthe semi-circle of waiting eldermen. 

"O, brave men!" he went on, "O, wonderful seeker of danger! Behold! I, _g'la_, a fool, stand before you and yet the killer of B'chumbiri sitstrembling and will not rise before me, fearing my vengeance. Am I soterrible?"

His wide open eyes were fixed upon the uncle of B'chumbiri, and the oldman returned the gaze defiantly. 

"Am I so terrible?" Bones went on, gently. "Do men fear me when I walk?Or run to their huts at the sound of my puc-a-puc? Do women wring theirhands when I pass?"

Again there was a little titter, but M'gobo, the uncle of B'chumbiri, grimacing now in his rage, was not amongst the laughers. 

"Yet the brave one who slew----"

M'gobo sprang to his feet. 

"Lord, " he said harshly, "why do you put all men to shame for yoursport?"

"This is no sport, M'gobo, " answered Bones quickly. "This is a palaver, a killing palaver. Was it a woman who slew B'chumbiri? so that she isnot present at this palaver. Lo, then I go to hold council with women!"

M'gobo's face was all distorted like a man stricken with paralysis. 

"Tibbetti!" he said, "I slew B'chumbiri--according to custom--and I willanswer to Sandi, who is a man, and understands such palavers. "

"Think well, " said Bones, deathly white, "think well, O man, before yousay this. "

"I killed him, O fool, " said M'gobo loudly, "though his father turnedwoman at the last--with these hands I cut him, using two knives----"

"Damn you!" said Bones, and shot him dead. 

 * * * * *

Hamilton, so far convalescent that he could smoke a cigarette, heard theaccount without interruption. 

"So there you are, sir, " said Bones at the side. "An' I felt like ajolly old murderer, but, dear old officer, what was I to do?"

Still Hamilton said nothing, and Bones shifted uncomfortably. 

"For goodness gracious sake don't sit there like a bally old owl, " hesaid, fretfully. "Was I wrong?"

Hamilton smiled. 

"You're a jolly old commissioner, sir, " he mimicked, "and for two pinsI'd mention you in dispatches. "

Bones examined the piping of his khaki jacket and extracted the pins. 

CHAPTER XII

THE MAN WHO DID NOT SLEEP

No doubt whatever but that Lieutenant Tibbetts of the Houssas had apretty taste for romance. It led him to exercise certain latent powersof imagination and to garnish his voluminous correspondence with detailsof happenings which had no very solid foundation in fact. 

On one occasion he had called down the heavy sarcasm of his superiorofficer by a reference to lions--a reference which Hamilton's sister hadseen and, in the innocence of her heart, had referred to in a letter toher brother. 

Whereupon Bones swore to himself that he would carefully avoidcorresponding with any person who might have the remotest acquaintancewith the remotest of Hamilton's relatives. 

Every mail night Captain Hamilton underwent a cross-examination which atonce baffled and annoyed him. 

Picture a great room, the walls of varnished match-boarding, the barefloor covered in patches by skins. There are twelve windows coveredwith fine mesh wire and looking out to the broad verandah which runsround the bungalow. The furniture is mainly wicker work, a table or twobearing framed photographs (one has been cleared for the huge gramophonewhich Bones has introduced to the peaceful life of headquarters). Thereare no pictures on the walls save the inevitable five--Queen Victoria, King Edward, Queen Alexandra, and in a place of honour above the doorthe King and his Consort. 

A great oil lamp hangs from the centre of the boarded ceiling, and underthis the big solid table at either side of which two officers writesilently and industriously, for the morrow brings the mail boat. 

Silent until Bones looked up thoughtfully. 

"Do you know the Gripps, of Beckstead, dear old fellow?"

"No. "

"None of your people know 'em?" hopefully. 

"No--how the dickens do I know?"

"Don't get chuffy, dear old chap. "

Then would follow another silence, until----

"Do you happen to be acquainted with the Lomands of Fife?"

"No. "

"I suppose none of your people know 'em?"

Hamilton would put down his pen, resignation on his face. 

"I have never heard of the Lomands--unless you refer to the LochLomonds; nor to the best of my knowledge and belief are any of myrelations in blood or in law in any way acquainted with them. "

"Cheer oh!" said Bones, gratefully. 

Another ten minutes, and then:

"You don't know the Adamses of Oxford, do you, sir?"

Hamilton, in the midst of his weekly report, chucked down his pen. 

"No; nor the Eves of Cambridge, nor the Serpents of Eton, nor the Angelsof Harrow. "

"I suppose----" began Bones. 

"Nor are my relations on speaking terms with them. They don't know theAdamses, nor the Cains, nor the Abels, nor the Moseses, nor the Noahs. "

"That's all I wanted to know, sir, " said an injured Bones. "There's noneed to peeve, sir. "

Step by step Bones was compiling a directory of people to whom he mightwrite without restraint, providing he avoided mythical lion hunts andconfined himself to anecdotes which were suggestively complimentary tohimself. 

Thus he wrote to one pal of his at Biggestow to the effect that he wasknown to the natives as "The-Man-Who-Never-Sleeps, " meaning thereby thathe was a most vigilant and relentless officer, and the recipients ofthis information, fired with a sort of local patriotism, sent theremarkable statement to the _Biggestow Herald and Observer and HindheadGuardian_, thereby upsetting all Bones' artful calculations. 

"What the devil does 'Man-Who-Never-Sleeps' mean?" asked a puzzledHamilton. 

"Dear old fellow, " said Bones, incoherently, "don't let's discuss it ... I can't understand how these things get into the bally papers. "

"If, " said Hamilton, turning the cutting over in his hand, "if theycalled you 'The-Man-Who-Jaws-So-Much-That-Nobody-Can-Sleep, ' I'dunderstand it, or if they called you'The-Man-Sleeps-With-His-Mouth-Open-Emitting-Hideous-Noises, ' I couldunderstand it. "

"The fact is, sir, " said Bones, in a moment of inspiration, "I'm anawfully light sleeper--in fact, sir, I'm one of those chaps who can getalong with a couple of hours' sleep--I can sleep anywhere at anytime--dear old Wellin'ton was similarly gifted--in fact, sir, there areone or two points of resemblance between Wellington and I, which youmight have noticed, sir. "

"Speak no ill of the dead, " reproved Hamilton; "beyond your eccentricnoses I see no points of resemblance. "

It was on a morning following the dispatch of the mail that Hamiltontook a turn along the firm sands to settle in his mind the problem of acertain Middle Island. 

Middle Islands, that is to say the innumerable patches of land whichsprinkle the river in its broad places, were a never-ending problem toSanders and his successor. Upon these Middle Islands the dead were laidto rest--from the river you saw the graves with fluttering ragged flagsof white cloth planted about them--and the right of burial was a matterof dispute when the mainland at one side of the river was Isisi land, and Akasava the other. Also some of the larger Middle Islands werecolonized. 

Hamilton had news of a coming palaver in relation to one of these. 

Now, on the river, it is customary for all who desire inter-tribalpalavers to announce their intention loudly and insistently. And ifSanders had no objection he made no move, if he did not think thepalaver desirable he stopped it. It was a simple arrangement, and itworked. 

Hamilton came back from his four-mile constitutional satisfied in hismind that the palaver should be held. Moreover, they had, on thisoccasion, asked permission. He could grant this with an easy mind, beingdue in the neighbourhood of the disputed territory in the course of aweek. 

It seemed that an Isisi fisherman had been spearing in Akasava waters, and had, moreover, settled, he and his family to the number of forty, onAkasava territory. Whereupon an Akasava fishing community, whose rightsthe intruder had violated, rose up in its wrath and beat Issmeri withsticks. 

Then the king of the Isisi sent a messenger to the king of Akasavabegging him to stay his hand "against my lawful people, for know this, Iberi, that I have a thousand spears and young men eager for fire. "

And Iberi replied with marked unpleasantness that there were in theAkasava territory two thousand spears no less inclined to slaughter. 

In a moment of admirable moderation, significant of the change which Mr. Commissioner Sanders had wrought in these warlike peoples, they acceptedHamilton's suggestion--sent by special envoy--and held a "smallpalaver, " agreeing that the question of the disputed fishing groundshould be settled by a third person. 

And they chose Bosambo, paramount and magnificent chief of the Ochori, as arbitrator. Now, it was singularly unfortunate that the question wasever debatable. And yet it was, for the fishing ground in question wasoff one of the many Middle Islands. In this case the island was occupiedby Akasava fishermen on the one shore and by the intruding Isisi on theother. If you can imagine a big "Y" and over it a little "o" and overthat again an inverted "Y" thus "+" and drawing this you prolong thefour prongs of the Y's, you have a rough idea of the topography of theplace. To the left of the lower "Y" mark the word "Isisi, " to the rightthe word "Akasava" until you reach a place where the two right handprongs meet, and here you draw a line and call all above it "Ochori. "The "o" in the centre is the middle island--set in a shallow lakethrough which the river (the stalk, of the Y's) runs. 

Bosambo came down in state with ten canoes filled with counsellors andbodyguard. He camped on the disputed ground, and was met thereon by thechiefs affected. 

"O, Iberi and T'lingi!" said he, as he stepped ashore, "I come in peace, bringing all my wonderful counsellors, that I may make you as brothers, for as you know I have a white man's way of knowing all their magic, andbeing a brother in blood to our Lord Tibbetti, Moon-in-the-Eye. "

"This we know, Bosambo, " said Iberi, looking askance at the size ofBosambo's retinue, "and my stomach is proud that you bring so vast anarmy of high men to us, for I see that you have brought rich food forthem. "

He saw nothing of the sort, but he wanted things made plain at thebeginning. 

"Lord Iberi, " said Bosambo, loftily, "I bring no food, for that wouldhave been shameful, and men would have said: 'Iberi is a mean man whostarves the guests of his house. ' But only one half of my wise peopleshall sit in your huts, Iberi, and the other half will rest with T'lingiof the Akasava, and feed according to law. And behold, chiefs andheadmen, I am a very just man not to be turned this way or that by thegiving of gifts or by kindness shown to my people. Yet my heart is sohuman and so filled with tenderness for my people, that I ask you not tofeed them too richly or give them presents of beauty, lest my noble mindbe influenced. "

Whereupon his forces were divided, and each chief ransacked his land fordelicacies to feed them. 

It was a long palaver--too long for the chiefs. 

Was the island Akasava or Isisi? Old men of either nation testified withoaths and swearings of death and other high matters that it was both. 

From dawn to sunset Bosambo sat in the thatched palaver house, and oneither side of him was a brass pot into which he tossed from time totime a grain of corn. 

And every grain stood for a successful argument in favour of one or theother of the contestants--the pot to the right being for the Akasava, and that to the left for the Isisi. 

And the night was given up to festivity, to the dancing of girls and thetelling of stories and other noble exercises. 

On the tenth day Iberi met T'lingi secretly. 

"T'lingi, " said Iberi, "it seems to me that this island is not worth thekeeping if we have to feast this thief Bosambo and search our lands forhis pleasure. "

"Lord Iberi, " agreed his rival, "that is also in my mind--let us go tothis robber of our food and say the palaver shall finish to-morrow, forI do not care whether the island is yours or mine if we can send Bosamboback to his land. "

"You speak my mind, " said Iberi, and on the morrow they were blunt tothe point of rudeness. 

Whereupon Bosambo delivered judgment. 

"Many stories have been told, " said he, "also many lies, and in mywisdom I cannot tell which is lie and which is truth. Moreover, thegrains of corn are equal in each pot. Now, this I say, in the name ofmy uncle Sandi, and my brother Tibbetti (who is secretly married to mysister's cousin), that neither Akasava nor Isisi shall sit in thisisland for a hundred years. "

"Lord, you are wise, " said the Akasava chief, well satisfied, and Iberiwas no less cheered, but asked: "Who shall keep this island free fromAkasava or Isisi? For men may come and there will be other palavers andperhaps fighting?"

"That I have thought of, " said Bosambo, "and so I will raise a villageof my own people on this island, and put a guard of a hundred men--allthis I will do because I love you both--the palaver is finished. "

He rose in his stately way, and with his drums beating and the brightspearheads of his young men a-glitter in the evening sunlight, embarkedin his ten canoes, having expanded his territory without loss to himselflike the Imperialist he was. 

For two days the chiefs of the Akasava and the Isisi were satisfied withthe justice of an award which robbed them both without giving anadvantage to either. Then an uneasy realization of their loss dawnedupon them. Then followed a swift exchange of messages and Bosambo'scolonization scheme was unpleasantly checked. 

Hamilton was on the little lake which is at the end of the N'gini Riverwhen he heard of the trouble, and from the high hills at the far end ofthe lake sent a helio message staring and blinking across the waste. 

Bones, fishing in the river below Ikan, picked up the instructions, andwent flying up the river as fast as the new naphtha launch could carryhim. 

He arrived in time to cover the shattered remnants of Bosambo's fleet asthey were being swept northward from whence they came. 

Bones went inshore to the island, the water jacket of a Maxim gunexposed over the bow, but there was no opposition. 

"What the dooce is all this about--hey?" demanded Lieutenant Tibbettsfiercely, and Iberi, doubly uneasy at the sound of an unaccustomedlanguage, stood on one leg in his embarrassment. 

"Lord, the thief Bosambo----" he began, and told the story. 

"Lord, " he concluded humbly, "I say all this though Bosambo is yourrelation since you have secretly married his sister's cousin. "

Whereupon Bones went very red and stammered and spluttered in such a waythat the chief knew for sure that Bosambo had spoken the truth. 

Bones, as I have said before, was no fool. He confirmed Bosambo's orderfor the evacuation of the island, but left a Houssa guard to hold it. 

Then he hurried north to the Ochori. 

Bosambo formed his royal procession, but there was no occasion for it, for Bones was in no processional mood. 

"What the dooce do you mean, sir?" demanded a glaring and threateningBones, his helmet over his neck, his arms akimbo. "What do you mean, sir, by saying I'm married to your infernal aunt?"

"Sah, " said Bosambo, virtuous and innocent, "I no savvy you--I nocompreney, sah! You lib for my house--I give you fine t'ings. I make ummoosic, sah----"

"You're a jolly old rotter, Bosambo!" said Bones, shaking his finger inthe chief's face. "I could punish you awfully for telling wickedstories, Bosambo. I'm disgusted with you, I am indeed. "

"Lord who never sleeps, " began Bosambo, humbly. 

"Hey?"

Bones stared at the other in amazement, suspicion, hope, andgratification in his face. 

"O, Bosambo, " said he mildly, and speaking in the native tongue, "why doyou call me by that name?"

Now, Bosambo in his innocence had used a phrase (_M'wani-m'wani_) whichsignifies "the sleepless one, " and also stands in the vernacular for"busy-body, " or one who is eternally concerned with other people'sbusiness. 

"Lord, " said Bosambo, hastily, "by this name are you known from themountains to the sea. Thus all men speak of you, saying: 'This is he whodoes not sleep but watches all the time. '"

Bones was impressed, he was flattered, and he ran his finger between thecollar of his uniform jacket and his scraggy neck as one will do who isembarrassed by praise and would appear unconcerned under the ordeal. 

"So men call me, Bosambo, " said he carelessly "though my lord M'ilitanidoes not know this--therefore in the day when M'ilitani comes, speak ofme as _M'wani-m'wani_ that he may know of whom men speak when they say'the sleepless one. '"

Everybody knows that _Cala cala_ great chiefs had stored against thehour of their need certain stocks of ivory. 

Dead ivory it is called because it had been so long cut, but good cowivory, closer in grain than the bull elephant brought to the hunter, more turnable, and of greater value. 

There is no middle island on the river about which some legend or buriedtreasure does not float. 

Hamilton, hurrying forward to the support of his second-in-command, stopped long enough to interview two sulky chiefs. 

"What palaver is this?" he demanded of Iberi, "that you carry yourspears to a killing? For is not the river big enough for all, and arethere no burying-places for your old men that you should fight sofiercely?"

"Lord, " confessed Iberi, "upon that island is a treasure which has beenhidden from the beginning of time, and that is the truth--N'Yango!"

Now, no man swears by his mother unless he is speaking straightly, andHamilton understood. 

"Never have I spoken of this to the Chief of the Isisi, " Iberi went on, "nor he to me, yet we know because of certain wise sayings that thetreasure stays and young men of our houses have searched very diligentlythough secretly. Also Bosambo knows, for he is a cunning man, and whenwe found he had put his warriors to the seeking we fought him, lord, forthough the treasure may be Isisi or Akasava, of this I am sure it is notof the Ochori. "

Hamilton came to the Ochori city to find a red-eyed Bones stalkingmajestically up and down the beach. 

"What is the matter with you?" demanded Hamilton. "Fever?"

"Not at all, " replied Bones, huskily; but with a fine carelessness. 

"You look as if you hadn't had a sleep for months, " said Hamilton. 

Bones shrugged his shoulders. 

"Dear old fellow, " said he, "it isn't for nothing that I'm called 'thesleepless one'--don't make sceptical noises, dear old officer, butpursue your inquiries among the indigenous natives, especiallyBosambo--an hour is all I want--just a bit of a snooze and a bath andI'm bright an' vigilant. "

"Take your hour, " said Hamilton briefly. "You'll need it. "

His interview with Bosambo was short and, for Bosambo, painful. Nevertheless he unbent in the end to give the chief a job after hisheart. 

Launch and steamer turned their noses down the stream, and at sunsetcame to the island. In the morning, Hamilton conducted a search whichextended from shore to shore and he came upon the cairn unexpectedlyafter a two hours' search. He uncovered two tons of ivory, wrapped inrotten native cloth. 

"There will be trouble over this, " he said, thoughtfully, surveying theyellow tusks. "I'll go downstream to the Isisi and collect information, unless these beggars can establish their claim we will bag this lot forgovernment. "

He left Bones and one orderly on the island. 

"I shall be gone two days, " he said. "I must send the launch to bringIberi to me; keep your eyes peeled. "

"Sir, " said Bones, blinking and suppressing a yawn with difficulty, "youcan trust the sleepless one. "

He had his tent pitched before the cairn, and in the shade of a greatgum he seated himself in his canvas chair.... He looked up and struggledto his feet. He was half dead with weariness, for the whole of theprevious night, while Bosambo snored in his hut, Bones, pinchinghimself, had wandered up and down the street of the city qualifying forhis title. 

Now, as he rose unsteadily to his feet, it was to confrontBosambo--Bosambo with four canoes grounded on the sandy beach of theisland. 

"Hello, Bosambo!" yawned Bones. 

"O Sleepless One, " said Bosambo humbly, "though I came in silence yetyou heard me, and your bright eyes saw me in the little-light. "

"Little-light" it was, for the sun had gone down. 

"Go now, Bosambo, " said Bones, "for it is not lawful that you should behere. "

He looked around for Ahmet, his orderly, but Ahmet was snoring like apig. 

"Lord, that I know, " said Bosambo, "yet I came because my heart is sadand I have sorrow in my stomach. For did I not say that you had marriedmy aunt?"

"Now listen whilst I tell you the full story of my wickedness, and of myaunt who married a white lord----"

Bones sat down in his chair and laid back his head, listening withclosed eyes. 

"My aunt, O Sleepless One, " began Bosambo, and Bones heard the story infragments. "... Coast woman ... Great lord ... Fine drier of cloth.... "

Bosambo droned on in a monotonous tone, and Bones, open-mouthed, hishead rolling from side to side, breathed regularly. 

At a gesture from Bosambo, the man who sat in the canoe slipped lightlyashore. Bosambo pointed to the cairn, but he himself did not move, nordid he check his fluent narrative. 

Working with feverish, fervent energy, the men of Bosambo's party loadedthe great tusks in the canoes. At last all the work was finished andBosambo rose. 

 * * * * *

"Wake up, Bones. "

Lieutenant Tibbetts stumbled to his feet glaring and grimacing wildly. 

"Parade all correct, sir, " he said, "the mail boat has just come in, an'there's a jolly old salmon for supper. "

"Wake up, you dreaming devil, " said Hamilton. 

Bones looked around. In the bright moonlight he saw the _Zaire_ mooredto the shelving beach, saw Hamilton, and turned his head to the emptycairn. 

"Good Lord!" he gasped. 

"O Sleepless One!" said Hamilton softly, "O bright eyes!"

Bones went blundering to the cairn, made a closer inspection, and cameslowly back. 

"There's only one thing for me to do, sir, " he said, saluting. "As anofficer an' a gentleman, I must blow my brains out. "

"Brains!" said Hamilton scornfully. 

 * * * * *

"As a matter of fact I sent Bosambo to collect the ivory which I shalldivide amongst the three chiefs--it's perished ivory, anyhow; and he hadmy written authority to take it, but being a born thief he preferred tosteal it; you'll find it stacked in your cabin, Bones. "

"In my cabin, sir!" said an indignant Bones; "there isn't room in mycabin, sir. How the dickens am I going to sleep?"

 THE END

 POPULAR NOVELS

 BY

 EDGAR WALLACE

 PUBLISHED BY

 WARD, LOCK & CO. , LIMITED. 

 _In Various Editions_. 

 SANDERS OF THE RIVER BONES BOSAMBO OF THE RIVER BONES IN LONDON THE KEEPERS OF THE KING'S PEACE THE COUNCIL OF JUSTICE THE DUKE IN THE SUBURBS THE PEOPLE OF THE RIVER DOWN UNDER DONOVAN PRIVATE SELBY THE ADMIRABLE CARFEW THE MAN WHO BOUGHT LONDON THE JUST MEN OF CORDOVA THE SECRET HOUSE KATE, PLUS TEN LIEUTENANT BONES THE ADVENTURES OF HEINE JACK O' JUDGMENT THE DAFFODIL MYSTERY THE NINE BEARS THE BOOK OF ALL POWER MR. JUSTICE MAXELL THE BOOKS OF BART THE DARK EYES OF LONDON CHICK SANDI, THE KING-MAKER THE THREE OAK MYSTERY THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE FROG BLUE HAND GREY TIMOTHY A DEBT DISCHARGED THOSE FOLK OF BULBORO' THE MAN WHO WAS NOBODY THE GREEN RUST THE FOURTH PLAGUE THE RIVER OF STARS

 _Made and Printed in Great Britain by_ WARD, LOCK & CO. , LIMITED, LONDON. 

 TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES

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