"I can afford to be generous," she said with a little laugh; "there is
enough here to kill twenty of us."

Then Leonard took a knife and chipped off three fragments from the ball,
taking one himself and presenting the other two to Francisco and Otter.
The priest received it doubtfully, but the dwarf would have none of it.

"Keep it for yourself, Baas," he said, "keep it for yourself. Whatever
way I die it shall not be thus. I do not love a medicine that causes men
to tie themselves into knots and then turns them green. No, no; first I
will face the jaws of the Snake."

So Leonard took that piece also.

CHAPTER XXIX

THE TRIAL OF THE GODS

Juanna had scarcely restored the remainder of her deadly medicine to its
hiding-place, when the curtains were drawn and Nam entered. After his
customary salutations, which on this occasion were more copious than
usual, he remarked blandly that the moon had risen in a clear sky.

"Which means, I suppose, that it is time for us to start," said Leonard
gruffly.

Then they set out, Juanna in her monk-like robe, and Otter in his red
fringe and a goat-skin cape which he insisted upon wearing.

"I may as well die warm as cold, Baas," he explained, "for of cold I
shall know enough when I am dead."

At the palace gate Olfan and a guard were waiting, but they found no
opportunity of speaking with him. Here also were gathered a great number
of priests, who preceded and followed them.

The procession being formed, they were led solemnly to a different gate
of the temple from that by which they had entered it on their previous
visits. On this occasion the secret passages were avoided, and they
passed up a broad avenue though the centre of the amphitheatre, to
seats that had been prepared for them on that side of the pool which was
furthest from the colossal idol. As before, the temple was crowded with
human beings, and their advance through it was very impressive, for the
priests chanted as they walked, while the multitude preserved an ominous
silence.

At first Leonard was at a loss to know why they were placed on the
hither side of the pool, but presently he saw the reason. In front of
the chairs to be occupied by Juanna and Otter, an open space of rock was
left, semicircular in shape, on which were set other seats to the number
of thirty or more. These seats were allotted to elders of the people,
who, as Leonard guessed rightly, had been chosen to act as their judges.
The posi