eekie, armed with a large battle-axe, went off to
inspect these fallen soldiers. Alan, who was helping the Ogula wounded,
wondered why he took so much interest in them. Half an hour later his
curiosity was satisfied, for Jeekie returned with over twenty heavy gold
rings, torques, and bracelets slung over his shoulder.

"Where did you get those, Jeekie?" he asked.

"Off poor chaps that peg out just now, Major. Remember Asiki soldiers
nearly always wear these things and that they no more use to them. But
if ever he get out of this Jeekie want spend his old age in respectable
peace. So he fetch them. Hard work, though, for rings all in one bit
and Asiki very tough to chop. Don't look cross, Major; you remember
what 'postle say, that he who no provide for his own self worse than
cannibal."

Just then Fahni came up and announced that the Asiki general had sent a
messenger into the camp proposing terms of peace.

"What terms?" asked Alan.

"These, white man: that we should surrender you and your servant and go
our way unharmed."

"Indeed, Fahni, and what did you answer?"

"White man, I refused; but I tell you," he added warningly, "that my
captains wished to accept. They said that I had come back to them safe
and that they fear the Asiki, who are devils, not men, and who will
bring the curse of Bonsa on us if we go on fighting with them. Still I
refused, saying that if they gave you up I would go with you, who saved
my life from the lion and afterwards from the priests of Bonsa. So the
messenger went back and, white man, we march at once, and I pray you
always to keep close to me that I may watch over you."

Then began that long tramp down the river, which Alan always thought
afterwards tried him more than any of the terrible events of his escape.
For although there was but little fighting, only rearguard actions
indeed, every day the Asiki sent messengers renewing their offers of
peace on the sole condition of the surrender of himself and Jeekie. At
last one evening they came to that place where Alan first met the Ogula,
and once more he camped upon the island on which he had shot the lion.
At nightfall, after he had eaten, Fahni visited him here and Alan boded
evil from his face.

"White man," he said, "I can protect you no longer. The Asiki messengers
have been with us again and they say that unless we give you up
to-morrow at the dawn, their army will push on ahead of us and destroy
my town, which is two days'