ill of his master. The issue showed that I was
right. At length Simba spoke, saying:

"We had intended, Lord, to keep you and the priest of the Child here as
hostages against mischief that might be worked on us by the followers
of the Child, who have always been our bitter enemies and done us much
undeserved wrong, although on our part we have faithfully kept the pact
concluded in the days of our grandfathers. It seems, however, that fate,
or your magic, is too strong for us, and therefore I have determined to
let you go. To-night at sundown we will set you on the road which leads
to the ford of the River Tava, which divides our territory from that of
the White Kendah, and you may depart where you will, since our wish is
that never again may we see your ill-omened faces."

At this intelligence my heart leapt in joy that was altogether
premature. But, preserving my indignant air, I exclaimed:

"To-night! Why to-night? Why not at once? It is hard for us to cross
unknown rivers in the dark."

"The water is low, Lord, and the ford easy. Moreover, if you started
now you would reach it in the dark; whereas if you start at sundown, you
will reach it in the morning. Lastly, we cannot conduct you hence until
we have buried our dead."

Then, without giving me time to answer, he turned and left the place,
followed by the others. Only at the gateway the diviner wheeled round on
his crutches and glared at us both, muttering something with his thick
lips; probably it was curses.

"At any rate they are going to set us free," I said to Marut, not
without exultation, when they had all vanished.

"Yes, Lord," he replied, "but _where_ are they going to set us free? The
demon Jana lives in the forests and the swamps by the banks of the Tava
River, and it is said that he ravages at night."

I did not pursue the subject, but reflected to myself cheerfully that
this mystic rogue-elephant was a long way off and might be circumvented,
whereas that altar of sacrifice was extremely near and very difficult to
avoid.

Never did a thief with a rich booty in view, or a wooer having an
assignation with his lady, wait for sundown more eagerly than I did that
day. Hour after hour I sat upon the house-top, watching the Black Kendah
carrying off the dead killed by the hailstones and generally trying to
repair the damage done by the terrific tempest. Watching the sun also
as it climbed down the cloudless sky, and literally counting the minutes
t