if
she kiss, you kiss."

"I am hanged if I do, Jeekie."

"Must, Major; must or never get out of Asiki-land. What all that
matter?" he added confidentially. "Miss Barbara never know. Jeekie
doesn't split, also quite necessary in situation, and you can't be
married till that Mungana dead. All matter business, Major; make time
pass pleasant as well. Asika jolly enough if you stroke her fur right
way, but if you put her back up--oh Lor! No trouble, sit and smile and
say, 'Oh, ducky, how beautiful you are!' that not hurt anybody."

In spite of himself Alan burst out laughing.

"But how about the Mungana?" he asked.

"Mungana, he got take that with rest. Also I try make friends with that
poor devil. Tell him it all my eye. Perhaps he believe me--not sure. If
he me, I no believe _him_. Mungana," he added oracularly, "Mungana take
his chance. What matter? In two months' time he nothing but gold figure,
No. 2403; just like one mummy in museum. Now I try catch my ma. I hear
she alive somewhere. They tell me she used keep lodging house for Bonsa
pilgrim, but steal grub, say it cat, all that sort of thing, and get run
in as thief. Afraid my ma come down very much in world, not society lady
now, shut up long way off in suburb. Still p'raps she useful so best
send her message by p'liceman, say how much I love her; say her dear
little Jeekie turn up again just to see her sweet face. Only don't know
if she swallow that or if they let her out prison unless I pay for all
she prig."

CHAPTER XIII

THE FEAST OF LITTLE BONSA

It was the night of full moon and of the great feast of the return of
Little Bonsa. Alan sat in his chamber waiting to be summoned to take
part in this ceremony and listening the while to that _Wow! Wow! Wow!_
of the death drums, whereof Jeekie had once spoken in England, which
could be clearly heard even above the perpetual boom of the cataract
tumbling down its cliff behind the town. By now he had recovered from
the fatigue of his journey and his health was good, but the same could
not be said of his spirits, for never in his life had he felt more
downhearted, not even when he was sickening for blackwater fever, or lay
in bondage in the City, expecting every morning to wake up and find his
reputation blasted. He was a prisoner in this dreadful, gloomy
place where he must live like a second Man in the Iron Mask, without
recreation or exercise other than he could find in the walled garden
where grew the