the life was still whole in
him, he crept on his hands and knees to where Alan stood, and kissed his
feet.

"Aha!" said Jeekie, "Little Bonsa score again. Cannibal tribe our slave
henceforth for evermore. Yes, till kingdom come. Come on, Major, and
cook supper in perfect peace."

The supper was cooked and eaten with gratitude, for seldom had two men
needed a square meal more, and never did venison taste better. By the
time that it was finished darkness had fallen, and before they turned in
to sleep in the neat reed hut that the Ogula had built, Alan and Jeekie
walked up the island to see if the lioness had been skinned, as they
directed. This they found was done; even the carcase itself had been
removed to serve as meat for these foul-feeding people. They climbed on
to the pile of rocks in which the beast had made her lair, and looked
down the river to where, two hundred yards away, the Ogula were
encamped. From this camp there rose a sound of revelry, and by the light
of the great fires that burned there, they perceived that the hungry
savages were busy feasting, for some of them sat in circles, whilst
others, their naked forms looking at that distance like those of imps in
the infernal regions, flitted to and fro against the glowing background
of the fires, bearing strange-looking joints on prongs of wood.

"I suppose they are eating the lioness," said Alan doubtfully.

"No, no, Major, not lioness; eat dwarf by dozen--just like oysters
at seaside. But for Little Bonsa _we_ sit on those forks now and look
uncommon small."

"Beasts!" said Alan in disgust; "they make me feel uncommon sick. Let us
go to bed. I suppose they won't murder us in our sleep, will they?"

"Not they, Major, too much afraid. Also we their blood-brothers now,
because we bring them first-class dinner and save chief from lion's
fury. No blame them too much, Major, good fellows really with gentle
heart, but grub like that from generation to generation. Every mother's
son of them have many men inside, that why they so big and strong. Ogula
people cover great multitude like Charity in Book. No doubt sent by
Providence to keep down extra pop'lation. Not right to think too hard
of poor fellows who, as I say, very kind and gentle at heart and most
loving in family relation, except to old women whom they eat also, so
that they no get bored with too long life."

Weary and disgusted by this abominable sight though he was, Alan burst
out laughing at h