it must not pass our
lips, nor may our eyes behold it. Therefore we will camp apart from you
further up the stream and find our own food. But to-morrow at the dawn
the messengers must leave as we have commanded. Also you shall provide
strong men and a large canoe to bear Little Bonsa forward towards her
own home until she finds her people coming out to greet her.

"It shall be done," answered the chief humbly, "Everything shall be done
according to the will of Little Bonsa spoken by her priest, that she
may leave a blessing and not a curse upon the heads of the tribe of the
Ogula. Say where you wish to camp and men shall run to build a house of
reeds for the god to dwell in."

CHAPTER IX

THE DAWN

Jeekie looked up and down the river and saw that in the centre of it
about half a mile away, there was an island on which grew some trees.

"Little Bonsa will camp yonder," he said. "Go, make her house ready,
light fire and bring canoe to paddle us across. Now leave us, all of
you, for if you look too long upon the face of the Yellow God she will
ask a sacrifice, and it is not lawful that you should see where she
hides herself away."

At this saying the cannibals departed as one man, and at top speed, some
of the canoes and others to warn their fellows who were engaged in
the congenial work of hunting and killing the dwarfs, not to dare to
approach the white man and his companion. A third party ran to the bank
of the river that was opposite to the island to make ready as they had
been bidden, so that presently Alan and Jeekie were left quite alone.

"Ah!" said Jeekie, with a gasp of satisfaction, "_that_ all right,
everything arranged quite comfortable. Thought Little Bonsa come out top
somehow and score off dirty dwarf monkeys. _They_ never get home to tea
anyway--stay and dine with Ogula."

"Stop chattering, Jeekie, and untie this infernal mask, I am almost
choked," broke in Alan in a hollow voice.

"Not say 'infernal mask,' Major, say 'face of angel.' Little Bonsa woman
and like it better, also true, if on this occasion only, for she save
our skins," said Jeekie as he unknotted the thongs and reverently
replaced the fetish in its tin box. "My!" he added, contemplating his
master's perspiring countenance, "you blush like garden carrot; well,
gold hot wear in afternoon sun beneath Tropic of Cancer. Now we walk
on quietly and I tell you all I arrange for night's lodging and future
progress of joint expedition.