alone would bring success; and the moulding of the material
through forces which already controlled it. He must play the witch-doctor
to the full. Working upon this hypothesis he determined to control
Bakahenzie through "messages" from the spirit of Tarum. The trouble was to
find out whether Bakahenzie would obey him or not and to what extent.

So in the early hours of one morning Bakahenzie's watchers in the forest
shuddered as they heard more of the mysterious voices of the Unmentionable
One making wondrous magic within the temple as Mungongo chanted, at
Birnier's prompting, the god's instructions to his high priest and people.
The form of the chant was not correct as Mungongo's memory was very
unreliable, but as Birnier remarked to the portrait of Lucille, "I don't
suppose Maestro Bakahenzie is such a stylist as he would have the public
suppose." Afterwards, to Mungongo's delight, who was never tired of any
manifestation of Moonspirit's magic, he put out the light and lay upon his
bed within the temple listening to the voice of Lucille pouring out the
passion of "Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix," in _Samson et Delilah_, to the
sleepy ears of the monkeys above the figure of the idol limned against the
moon-patterned roof of the forest.

But scarcely had the moist ultramarine shadows turned to mauve than the
voice of Bakahenzie hailed the god most punctiliously from without.
However Birnier happened to be sleepy, and the chance of the early hour
presented such an opportunity to gain prestige that he sent the Keeper of
the Fires to inform the High Priest that the god was not yet up and that
he must needs wait. And wait did Bakahenzie, like unto a graven image at
the gate until the sun was four hand's-spans above the trees. When Birnier
had breakfasted upon broiled kid, eggs, banana and weak tea, Bakahenzie
was summoned to the august presence.

Wondering what new idea Bakahenzie had gotten into his head Birnier
solemnly talked the usual preliminaries, intending to announce in the best
manner that Tarum had a message for the son of Maliko; but to his
astonishment Bakahenzie forestalled him by demanding to know when the god
would speak again.

When Mungongo had gravely placed the machine at his feet Birnier set the
record. The chant bade the son of Maliko to summon the wizards and the
warriors of the tribe to the abode of the Unmentionable One; to send to
those who had fallen into the power of Eyes-in-the-hands instructions