ou call a god. Yet it must be at a
price. We will not kill this beast and try to save your life, save at a
price."

"What price?" asked the Kalubi nervously. "There are wives and
cattle--no, you do not want the wives, and the cattle cannot be taken
across the lake. There are gold dust and ivory. I have already promised
these, and there is nothing more that I can give."

"The price is, O Kalubi, that you hand over to us to be taken away
the white woman who is called Mother of the Holy Flower, with her
daughter----"

"And," interrupted Stephen, to whom I had been interpreting, "the Holy
Flower itself, all of it dug up by the roots."

When he heard these modest requests the poor Kalubi became like one upon
the verge of madness.

"Do you understand," he gasped, "do you understand that you are asking
for the gods of my country?"

"Quite," replied Brother John with calmness; "for the gods of your
country--nothing more nor less."

The Kalubi made as though he would fly from the hut, but I caught him by
the arm and said:

"See, friend, things are thus. You ask us, at great danger to ourselves,
to kill one of the gods of your country, the highest of them, in order
to save your life. Well, in payment we ask you to make a present of the
remaining gods of your country, and to see us and them safe across the
lake. Do you accept or refuse?"

"I refuse," answered the Kalubi sullenly. "To accept would mean the last
curse upon my spirit; that is too horrible to tell."

"And to refuse means the first curse upon your body; namely, that in a
few hours it must be broken and chewed by a great monkey which you call
a god. Yes, broken and chewed, and afterwards, I think, cooked and eaten
as a sacrifice. Is it not so?"

The Kalubi nodded his head and groaned.

"Yet," I went on, "for our part we are glad that you have refused, since
now we shall be rid of a troublesome and dangerous business and return
in safety to Mazitu land."

"How will you return in safety, O lord Macumazana, you who are doomed to
the 'Hot Death' if you escape the fangs of the god?"

"Very easily, O Kalubi, by telling Komba, the Kalubi-to-be, of your
plots against this god of yours, and how we have refused to listen to
your wickedness. In fact, I think this may be done at once while you are
here with us, O Kalubi, where perhaps you do not expect to be found.
I will go strike upon the pot without the door; doubtless though it is
late, some will hear. Nay, m