eep
in the infernal regions as one might conceive them in a nightmare.

It went on for some time, I don't know how long, till at length the
Motombo picked up his fantastically shaped horn and blew. Thereon the
women darted from the various doorways, but seeing that they were not
wanted, checked themselves in their stride and remained standing so, in
the very attitude of runners about to start upon a race. As the blast
of the horn died away the turmoil was suddenly succeeded by an utter
stillness, broken only by the crackling of the fires whose flames,
of all the living things in that place, alone seemed heedless of the
tragedy which was being played.

"All up now, old fellow!" whispered Stephen to me in a shaky voice.

"Yes," I answered, "all up high as heaven, where I hope we are going.
Now back to back, and let's make the best fight we can. We've got the
spears."

While we were closing in the Motombo began to speak.

"So you plotted to kill the god, Kalubi-who-_was_," he screamed, "with
these white ones whom you would pay with the Holy Flower and her who
guards it. Good! You shall go, all of you, and talk with the god. And I,
watching here, will learn who dies--you or the god. Away with them!"

CHAPTER XVI

THE GODS

With a roar the Pongo soldiers leapt on us. I think that Mavovo managed
to get his spear up and kill a man, for I saw one of them fall backwards
and lie still. But they were too quick for the rest of us. In half a
minute we were seized, the spears were wrenched from our hands and we
were thrown headlong into the canoe, all six of us, or rather seven
including the Kalubi. A number of the soldiers, including Komba, who
acted as steersman, also sprang into the canoe that was instantly pushed
out from beneath the bridge or platform on which the Motombo sat and
down the little creek into the still water of the canal or estuary,
or whatever it may be, that separates the wall of rock which the cave
pierces from the base of the mountain.

As we floated out of the mouth of the cave the toad-like Motombo, who
had wheeled round upon his stool, shouted an order to Komba.

"O Kalubi," he said, "set the Kalubi-who-_was_ and the three white men
and their three servants on the borders of the forest that is named
House-of-the-god and leave them there. Then return and depart, for here
I would watch alone. When all is finished I will summon you."

Komba bowed his handsome he