Atthesamemomentthesesavages，whowerenotmorethantwohundredyardsaway，caughtsightofthemandoftheirpursuers，whojustthenappearedontheridgetotherightandleft。Thedwarfs，onperceivingthesestrangers，utteredashrillyellofterror，andwheeledabouttoflytotheirfastnessesintheforest，whichevidentlytheyregrettedeverhavingleft。Itwastoolate。Withanansweringshoutthespearsmen，whowereextendedinalongline，apparentlyhuntingforgame，chargedafterthematfullspeed。Theywerefreshandtheirlegswerelong。Thereforeverysoontheyovertookthedwarfsandevengotinfrontofthem，headingthemofffromtheforest。Theendmaybeguessed，——saveafewwhomtheyreservedalive，theykilledthemmercilessly，andalmostwithoutlosstothemselves，sincethelittleforestfolkweretooterrifiedandexhaustedtoshootatthemwiththeirpoisonedarrows，andtheyhadnootherweapons。
　　Infact，asAlandiscoveredafterwards，forgenerationstherehadbeenwarbetweenthem，sincealltheothertribeshatethedwarfs，whomtheylookuponasdangeroushumanmonkeys，andneverbeforehadthebigmenfoundsuchachanceofsquaringtheiraccount。
　　WhenJeekiesawthisfearful-lookingcompany，forthefirsttimehisspiritsseemedtofailhim。
　　“Ogula！“heexclaimedwithagroanandsathimselfuponaflatrock，pullingAlandownbesidehim。“Ogula！Knowthembyhairandspears，“
　　herepeated。“Upgumtreenow，saygood-night。“
　　“Why？Whoarethey？“gaspedAlan。
　　“Greatcannibal，Major，eatman，eatusto-night，orperhapsto-morrowmorningwhenweniceandcool。Sayprayers，Major，quicknotimewaste。“
　　“IthinkIwillshootanOgulaortwofirst，“saidAlangrimly，ashestoodupandliftedhisgun。
　　“No，notshoot，nogood。Pretendnotbeafraid，bestchance。LetJeekiethink，letJeekiethink，“andheslappedhisforeheadwithhislargehand。
　　Apparentlytheactionbroughtinspiration，fornextinstanthegrabbedhismasterbythearmanddraggedhimbackbehindtheshelterofabigboulderwhichtheyhadjustpassed。ThenwithreallymarvellousswiftnesshecutthestrapsofthetinboxthatAlanworeuponhisback，andsincetherewasnotimetofindthekeyandunlockit，seizedthelittlepadlockwithwhichitwasfastenedbetweenhisfingerandthumb，andputtingouthisgreatstrength，withasinglewrenchtwisteditoff。
　　“Whatareyou——“beganAlan。
　　“Holdtongue，“heansweredsavagely，“makeyougod，Ipriest。OgulaknowLittleBonsa。Quick，quick！“
　　Inaminuteitwasdone，thegoldenmaskwasclappedontoAlan’shead，andtheleatherthongswerefastened。Moreover，Jeekiehimselfwasarrayedinthesolar-topetowhichallthiswhilehehadclung，allowingstreamsofgreenmosquitonettingtohangdownoverhiswhiterobe。
　　“Comeoutnow，Major，“hesaid，“andplaygod。Youwhistle，Idopalaver。“
　　Thenhandinhandtheywalkedfrombehindtherock。Bythistimetheparticularcompanyofthecannibalsthatwasoppositetothem，whichhappenedtoincludetheirchief，hadclimbedthesteepslopeofthehillandarrivedwithinadistanceoftwentyyards。Havingseenthetwomenandguessedthattheyhadtakenrefugebehindtherock，theirspearswereliftedtokillthem，sincewhenhebeholdsanythingstrange，thefirstimpulseofasavageistobringittoitsdeath。
　　Theylooked；theysaw。Ofasuddendownwenttheraisedspears。
　　Someofthosewhoheldthemfellupontheirfaces，whileothersturnedtofly，appalledbythevisionofthisstrangelycladmanwiththeheadofgold。Onlytheirchief，agreatyellow-toothedfellowwhoworeanecklaceofbaboonclaws，remainederect，staringatthemwithopenmouth。
　　Alanblewthewhistlethatwassetbetweenthelipsofthemask，andtheyshivered。ThenJeekiespoketotheminsometonguewhichtheyunderstood，saying:
　　“Doyou，OOgula，daretoofferviolencetoLittleBonsaandherpriests？Saynow，whyshouldwenotstrikeyoudeadwiththemagicofthegodwhichshehasborrowedfromthewhiteman？“andhetappedthegunheheld。
　　“Thisiswitchcraft，“answeredthechief。“Wesawtwomenrunning，huntedbythedwarfs，notthreeminutesago，andnowwesee——whatwesee，“andheputhishandbeforehiseyes，thenafterapausewenton——“AsforLittleBonsa，sheleftthiscountryinmyfather’sday。HegaveherpassageupontheheadofawhitemanandtheAsikiwizardshavemournedhereversince，orsoIhear。“
　　“Fool，“answeredJeekie，“asshewent，soshereturns，ontheheadofawhiteman。YonderIseeanelderwithgreyhairwhodoubtlessknewofLittleBonsainhisyouth。Lethimcomeupandlookandsaywhetherornothisisthegod。“
　　“Yes，yes，“exclaimedthechief，“goup，oldman，goup，“andhejabbedathimwithhisspearuntil，unwillinglyenough，hewent。
　　Theelderarrived，makingobeisance，andwhenhewasnear，Alanblewthewhistleinhisface，whereonhefelltohisknees。
　　“ItisLittleBonsa，“hesaidinatremblingvoice，“LittleBonsawithoutadoubt。Ishouldknow，asmyfatherandmyelderbrotherweresacrificedtoher，andIonlyescapedbecausesherejectedme。Downonyourface，Chief，anddohonourtotheYellowGodbeforesheslayyou。“
　　Instantlyeverymanwithinhearingprostratedhimselfandlaystill。
　　ThenJeekiestrodeupanddownamongthemshoutingout:
　　“LittleBonsahascomebackandbroughttoyou，Man-eaters，afatoffering，anofferingofthedwarf-peoplewhomyouhate，ofthetreacherousdwarf-peoplewhowhenyouwalktheancientforestpath，murderyouwiththeirpoisonedarrows。PraiseLittleBonsawhodeliversyoufromyourfoes，andhearkentoherbidding。SendonmessengerstotheAsikisayingthatLittleBonsacomeshomeagainfromacrosstheBlackWaterbringingtheWhitePreacher，whomsheledawayinthedayoftheirfathers。SaytothemthattheAsikimustsendoutacompanythatLittleBonsaandtheMagicianwithwhomsheranaway，maybeescortedbacktoherhousewiththestatewhichhasbeenhersfromthebeginningoftime。Saytothemalsothattheymustprepareagreatofferingofpuregoldoutoftheirstore，asmuchgoldasfiftystrongmencancarry，notonehandfulless，tobegiventotheWhiteMagicianwhobringsbackSmallSwimmingHead，foriftheywithholdsuchanoffering，heandLittleBonsawillvanishnevertobeseenagain，andcursesanddesolationwillfallupontheirland。Riseandobey，ChiefoftheOgula。“
　　Thenthemanscrambledtohisfeetandanswered:
　　“Itshallbedone，OPriestoftheYellowGod。To-morrowatthedawnswiftmessengerswillstartfortheGoldHouseoftheAsiki。To-nighttheycannotleave，asweareallveryhungryandmusteat。“
　　“Whatmustyoueat？“askedJeekiesuspiciously。
　　“OPriest，“answeredthechiefwithadeprecatorygesture，“whenfirstwesawyouwehopedthatitwouldbethewhitemanandyourself，forwehavenevertastedwhiteman。Butnowwefearthatyouwillnotconsenttothis，andasyouareholyandtheguardianofthegod，wecannoteatyouwithoutyourownconsent。Thereforefatdwarfmustbeourfood，ofwhich，however，therewillbeplentyforyouaswellasus。“
　　“Youdog！“exclaimedJeekieinavoiceoffuriousindignation。“Doyouthinkthatwhitemenandtheirhigh-borncompanions，suchasmyself，weremadetofillyourvilestomachs？ItellyouthatamealofthedeadlyBeanwouldagreebetterwithyou，forifyoudaresomuchastolookonus，oronanyofthewhiteracewithhunger，agonyshallseizeyourvitalsandyouandallyourtribeshalldieasthoughbypoison。
　　Moreover，wedonottouchthefleshofmen，norwillweseeiteaten。
　　Itisour’/orunda/，’itisconsecratetous，itmustnotpassourlips，normayoureyesbeholdit。Thereforewewillcampapartfromyoufurtherupthestreamandfindourownfood。Butto-morrowatthedawnthemessengersmustleaveaswehavecommanded。AlsoyoushallprovidestrongmenandalargecanoetobearLittleBonsaforwardtowardsherownhomeuntilshefindsherpeoplecomingouttogreether。
　　“Itshallbedone，“answeredthechiefhumbly，“EverythingshallbedoneaccordingtothewillofLittleBonsaspokenbyherpriest，thatshemayleaveablessingandnotacurseupontheheadsofthetribeoftheOgula。Saywhereyouwishtocampandmenshallruntobuildahouseofreedsforthegodtodwellin。“
　　Jeekielookedupanddowntheriverandsawthatinthecentreofitabouthalfamileaway，therewasanislandonwhichgrewsometrees。
　　“LittleBonsawillcampyonder，“hesaid。“Go，makeherhouseready，lightfireandbringcanoetopaddleusacross。Nowleaveus，allofyou，forifyoulooktoolonguponthefaceoftheYellowGodshewillaskasacrifice，anditisnotlawfulthatyoushouldseewhereshehidesherselfaway。“
　　Atthissayingthecannibalsdepartedasoneman，andattopspeed，someofthecanoesandotherstowarntheirfellowswhowereengagedinthecongenialworkofhuntingandkillingthedwarfs，nottodaretoapproachthewhitemanandhiscompanion。Athirdpartyrantothebankoftheriverthatwasoppositetotheislandtomakereadyastheyhadbeenbidden，sothatpresentlyAlanandJeekiewereleftquitealone。
　　“Ah！“saidJeekie，withagaspofsatisfaction，“/that/allright，everythingarrangedquitecomfortable。ThoughtLittleBonsacomeouttopsomehowandscoreoffdirtydwarfmonkeys。/They/nevergethometoteaanyway——stayanddinewithOgula。“
　　“Stopchattering，Jeekie，anduntiethisinfernalmask，Iamalmostchoked，“brokeinAlaninahollowvoice。
　　“Notsay’infernalmask，’Major，say’faceofangel。’LittleBonsawomanandlikeitbetter，alsotrue，ifonthisoccasiononly，forshesaveourskins，“saidJeekieasheunknottedthethongsandreverentlyreplacedthefetishinitstinbox。“My！“headded，contemplatinghismaster’sperspiringcountenance，“youblushlikegardencarrot；well，goldhotwearinafternoonsunbeneathTropicofCancer。NowwewalkonquietlyandItellyouallIarrangefornight’slodgingandfutureprogressofjointexpedition。“