on--is the fish that has swallowed the big gaudy lure so much
worse or more foolish than that which has fallen to the delicate white
moth with the same sharp barb in its tail?

In short, are we not all miserable sinners as the Prayer Book says, and
in the eye of any judge who can average up the elemental differences of
those waters wherein we were bred and are called upon to swim, is there
so much to choose between us? Do we not all need those outstretched
Hands of Mercy which I saw in my dream?

But there, there! What right has a poor old hunter to discuss things
that are too high for him?

CHAPTER XV

THE MOTOMBO

After my dream I went to sleep again, till I was finally aroused by a
strong ray of light hitting me straight in the eye.

Where the dickens does that come from? thought I to myself, for these
huts had no windows.

Then I followed the ray to its source, which I perceived was a small
hole in the mud wall some five feet above the floor. I rose and examined
the said hole, and noted that it appeared to have been freshly made, for
the clay at the sides of it was in no way discoloured. I reflected that
if anyone wanted to eavesdrop, such an aperture would be convenient, and
went outside the hut to pursue my investigations. Its wall, I found, was
situated about four feet from the eastern part of the encircling reed
fence, which showed no signs of disturbance, although there, in the
outer face of the wall, was the hole, and beneath it on the lime
flooring lay some broken fragments of plaster. I called Hans and asked
him if he had kept watch round the hut when the wrapped-up man visited
us during the night. He answered yes, and that he could swear that no
one had come near it, since several times he had walked to the back and
looked.

Somewhat comforted, though not satisfied, I went in to wake up the
others, to whom I said nothing of this matter since it seemed foolish
to alarm them for no good purpose. A few minutes later the tall, silent
women arrived with our hot water. It seemed curious to have hot water
brought to us in such a place by these very queer kind of housemaids,
but so it was. The Pongo, I may add, were, like the Zulus, very clean in
their persons, though whether they all used hot water, I cannot say. At
any rate, it was provided for us.

Half an hour later they returned with breakfast, consisting chiefly of
a roasted kid, of which, as it was whole, and the