u?"

"M'tana is good. He would not do that."

"But if he should do it?"

"Then Kali will again go to the great water--to the great master and
the 'bibi.'"

"We shall not be there then."

"Then Kali will sit beside the water and weep from grief."

Speaking thus he crossed his hands above his head; after a while he
whispered:

"Kali loves the great master and the 'bibi' very much--very much!"

And two big tears glistened in his eyes.

Stas hesitated how to act. He was sorry for Kali, nevertheless, he did
not assent to his entreaty. He understood--not to speak of the dangers
of return--that if M'Tana or the fetish-men stirred up the negroes,
then the boy was threatened not only with expulsion from the country
but with death.

"It is better for you to remain," he said, "better without question."

But while he was saying this, Nell entered. Through the thin mat which
separated the rooms she had heard perfectly the whole conversation, and
now seeing tears in Kali's eyes she began to wipe his eyelids with her
little fingers, and afterward turned to Stas:

"Kali is going with us," she said with great firmness.

"Oho!" answered Stas, somewhat ruffled, "that does not depend upon you."

"Kali is going with us," she repeated.

"No, he will not go."

Suddenly she stamped her little foot.

"I want it."

And she burst into a genuine flood of tears.

Stas stared at her with the greatest amazement, as though he did not
understand what had happened to the little maid who was always so good
and gentle, but seeing that she stuck both of her little fists in her
eyes and, like a little bird, caught the air with her opened mouth, he
began to exclaim with great haste:

"Kali is going with us! He is going! He is going! Why are you crying?
How unbearable you are! He is going! My, how pale you are! He is going!
Do you hear?"

And thus it happened. Stas was ashamed until the evening of his
weakness for the "Good Mzimu," and the "Good Mzimu" having carried her
point, was as quiet, gentle, and obedient as ever.

XXII

The caravan started at daybreak on the following day. The young negro
was happy, the little female despot was now gentle and obedient, and
Stas was full of energy and hope. They were accompanied by one hundred
Samburus and one hundred Wahimas--forty of the latter were armed with
Remingtons from which they could shoot passably well. The white
commander who drilled them during three weeks knew, indee