st had
been held two months before, when the priests were poisoned and the
Bonsas chose the victims for sacrifice. Already it was prepared for the
great festival of to-morrow, when the Mungana should drown himself and
Alan be married to the Asika. There on the dais were the gold chairs in
which they were to sit, and green branches of trees mixed with curious
flags decked the vast amphitheatre beyond. Moreover, there was the broad
canal, and floating in the midst of it the hideous gold fetish, Big
Bonsa. The moon shone on its glaring, deathly eyes, its fish-like snout
and its huge, pale teeth. Alan looked at it and shivered, for the thing
was horrid and uncanny, and the utter loneliness in which it lay staring
up at the moon, seemed to accentuate the horror.

The Mungana noticed his fear and whispered:

"We must swim the water. If you have a god, white man, pray him to
protect you from Bonsa."

"Lead on," answered Alan, "I do not dread a foul fetish, only the look
of it. But is there no way round?"

The Mungana shook his head and began to enter the canal. Jeekie, whose
teeth were chattering, hung back, but Alan pushed him from behind, so
sharply that he stumbled and made a splash. Then Alan followed, and as
the cold, black water rose to his chest, looked again at Big Bonsa.

It seemed to him that the thing had turned round and was staring at
them. Surely a few seconds ago its snout pointed the other way. No, that
must be fancy. He was swimming now, they were all swimming, Alan and
Jeekie holding their pistols and little stock of cartridges above
their heads to keep them dry. The gold head of Big Bonsa appeared to be
lifting itself up in the water, as a reptile might, in order to get a
better view of these proceedings, but doubtless it was the ripples that
they caused which gave it this appearance. Only why did the ripples make
it come towards them, quite gently, like an investigating fish?

It was about ten yards off and they were in the middle of the canal. The
Mungana had passed it. It was in a line with Alan's head. Oh Heavens! a
sudden smother of foam, a rush like that of a torpedo, and set low down
between two curving waves, a flash of gold. Then a gurgling, inhuman
laugh and a weight upon his back. Down went Alan, down and down!

CHAPTER XVII

THE END OF THE MUNGANA

The moonlight above vanished. Alan was alone in the depths with this
devil, or whatever it might be. He could feel hands and feet grippi