rds and forwards
through our mouldering bones, and that would be the end of her, and of
those in her who would follow after myths and seek out the secrets of
Nature.

Already I seemed to hear the water rippling against the desiccated bones
and rattling them together, rolling my skull against Mahomed's, and
his against mine, till at last Mahomed's stood straight up upon its
vertebrae, and glared at me through its empty eyeholes, and cursed me
with its grinning jaws, because I, a dog of a Christian, disturbed the
last sleep of a true believer. I opened my eyes, and shuddered at the
horrid dream, and then shuddered again at something that was not a
dream, for two great eyes were gleaming down at me through the misty
darkness. I struggled up, and in my terror and confusion shrieked, and
shrieked again, so that the others sprang up too, reeling, and drunken
with sleep and fear. And then all of a sudden there was a flash of cold
steel, and a great spear was held against my throat, and behind it other
spears gleamed cruelly.

"Peace," said a voice, speaking in Arabic, or rather in some dialect
into which Arabic entered very largely; "who are ye who come hither
swimming on the water? Speak or ye die," and the steel pressed sharply
against my throat, sending a cold chill through me.

"We are travellers, and have come hither by chance," I answered in my
best Arabic, which appeared to be understood, for the man turned his
head, and, addressing a tall form that towered up in the background,
said, "Father, shall we slay?"

"What is the colour of the men?" said a deep voice in answer.

"White is their colour."

"Slay not," was the reply. "Four suns since was the word brought to me
from '_She-who-must-be-obeyed_,' 'White men come; if white men
come, slay them not.' Let them be brought to the house of
'_She-who-must-be-obeyed_.' Bring forth the men, and let that which they
have with them be brought forth also."

"Come," said the man, half leading and half dragging me from the boat,
and as he did so I perceived other men doing the same kind office to my
companions.

On the bank were gathered a company of some fifty men. In that light all
I could make out was that they were armed with huge spears, were very
tall, and strongly built, comparatively light in colour, and nude, save
for a leopard skin tied round the middle.

Presently Leo and Job were bundled out and placed beside me.

"What on earth is up?" said Leo, rubbing his