lutched Mungongo and refused to part with him. Bakahenzie,
compelled to avoid any delay before consolidating his position, instantly
shut up Mungongo in the same web by declaring him the Keeper of the Sacred
Fires and so disposed of any agent outside the tabu or craft. As soon as
this was accomplished and a dance to celebrate the lighting of the new
fires commanded, the wily chief witch-doctor approached Marufa who,
realizing that he was hopelessly outwitted, was only too eager to make the
best terms possible.

Birnier had known that the King-God was never allowed to be seen by the
populace except at the Harvest Festival, yet he accepted his isolation
philosophically, lured by the expectation of the secrets he was about to
learn, although his curiosity led sometimes to the vision of a god peeping
through a fence.

While the drums summoning the council of chiefs and wizards were muttering
through the moist air, to Birnier, squatting on the floor of Zalu Zako's
hut with Mungongo beside him, came Bakahenzie to instruct him in his role.
To whet his curiosity still more he learned that from the moment of
appearance in the gate of the sacred enclosure for the ceremony of the
lighting of the royal fires, every movement of body and speech was
regulated as rigidly as the etiquette of the Court of Spain. At a signal
from the chief witch-doctor was the King-God to leave the hut and appear
from behind the idol; with arms in a certain position was he to approach
and squat at an exact spot. To Mungongo was given charge of the two fire
sticks, newly consecrated.

As the chief witch-doctor retired the chanting began. Interested to know
what was about to happen Birnier obeyed in the spirit of a game. So in the
warm darkness they squatted, these two, listening to the chanting, cries
and groans to the accompaniment of the drums and lyres and the perpetual
twitter of the forest. At last came a violent howl from Bakahenzie which
Mungongo declared was their cue.

Around the circle of the fence to avoid the eyes of the audience ran
Mungongo to the temporary Place of Fires. Feeling as if he were once more
playing in an amateur dramatic club, Birnier stalked with portentous
dignity from the hut, past the idol, and took his seat upon the enchanted
place. Without the palisade and within another squatted in correct order
the lines of wizards and chiefs, Zalu Zako retaining, rather by prestige
of his former holiness and indecision as to what his