uld make bows and arrows that were so esteemed by his
tribespeople as to command a steady sale. Scarcely a day passed in which
he did not himself practise with bow and arrow. He shot only by
direction of sound; and whenever a noise or rustle was heard in the
jungle, and when Jerry had informed him of its nature, he would shoot an
arrow at it. Then it was Jerry's duty cautiously to retrieve the arrow
had it missed the mark.

A curious thing about Nalasu was that he slept no more than three hours
in the twenty-four, that he never slept at night, and that his brief
daylight sleep never took place in the house. Hidden in the thickest
part of the neighbouring jungle was a sort of nest to which led no path.
He never entered nor left by the same way, so that the tropic growth on
the rich soil, being so rarely trod upon, ever obliterated the slightest
sign of his having passed that way. Whenever he slept, Jerry was trained
to remain on guard and never to go to sleep.

Reason enough there was and to spare for Nalasu's infinite precaution.
The oldest of his three sons had slain one, Ao, in a quarrel. Ao had
been one of six brothers of the family of Anno which dwelt in one of the
upper villages. According to Somo law, the Anno family was privileged to
collect the blood-debt from the Nalasu family, but had been balked of it
by the deaths of Nalasu's three sons in the bush. And, since the Somo
code was a life for a life, and since Nalasu alone remained alive of his
family, it was well known throughout the tribe that the Annos would never
be content until they had taken the blind man's life.

But Nalasu had been famous as a great fighter, as well as having been the
progenitor of three such warlike sons. Twice had the Annos sought to
collect, the first time while Nalasu still retained his eyesight. Nalasu
had discovered their trap, circled about it, and in the rear encountered
and slain Anno himself, the father, thus doubling the blood-debt.

Then had come his accident. While refilling many-times used Snider
cartridges, an explosion of black powder put out both his eyes.
Immediately thereafter, while he sat nursing his wounds, the Annos had
descended upon him--just what he had expected. And for which he had made
due preparation. That night two uncles and another brother stepped on
poisoned thorns and died horribly. Thus the sum of lives owing the Annos
had increased to five, with only a blind man from whom to collect.