the yellow god-第54章

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what　would　happen　if　Fahni；　finding　himself　safe　upon　the　water；
thought　it　wisest　not　to　come　to　fetch　them。

Alan　translated　his　words　to　the　old　chief；　whereon　Fahni　wanted　to
fight　Jeekie　because　of　the　slur　that　he　had　cast　upon　his　honour。
This　challenge　Jeekie　resolutely　declined；　saying　that　already　there
were　plenty　of　ways　to　die　in　Asiki…land　without　adding　another　to
them。　Then　Fahni　swore　by　his　tribal　god　and　by　the　spirit　of　every
man　he　had　ever　eaten；　that　he　would　come　to　that　promontory　after
dark；　if　he　were　still　alive。

So　they　separated；　Fahni　and　his　men　slipping　down　to　the　road；　which
they　did　without　being　seen　by　anyone；　while　Alan；　Jeekie　and　the
Mungana　bore　away　to　the　right　towards　the　promontory。　The　road　was
long　and　rough　and；　though　by　good　fortune　they　met　no　one；　since　the
few　who　dwelt　in　these　wild　parts　had　gone　up　to　Bonsa　Town　to　be
present　at　the　great　feast；　the　sun　was　sinking　before　ever　they
reached　the　place。　Moreover；　this　promontory　proved　to　be　covered　with
dense　thorn　scrub；　through　which　they　must　force　a　way　in　the
gathering　darkness；　not　without　hurt　and　difficulty。　Still　they
accomplished　it　and　at　length；　quite　exhausted；　crept　to　the　very
point；　where　they　hid　themselves　between　some　stones　at　the　water's
edge。

Here　they　waited　for　three　long　hours；　but　no　boat　came。

〃All　up　a　gum…tree　now；　Major；〃　said　Jeekie。　〃Old　blackguard；　Fanny；
bolt　and　leave　us　here；　and　to…morrow　morning　Asika　nobble　us。　Better
have　gone　down　to　bay；　steal　his　boat　and　leave　him　behind；　because
Asika　no　want　/him/。〃

Alan　made　no　answer。　He　was　too　tired；　and　although　he　trusted　Fahni；
it　seemed　likely　enough　that　Jeekie　was　right；　or　perhaps　the
cannibals　had　not　been　able　to　get　the　boat。　Well；　he　had　done　his
best；　and　if　Fate　overtook　them　it　was　no　fault　of　his。　He　began　to
doze；　for　even　their　imminent　peril　could　not　keep　his　eyes　open；　then
presently　awoke　with　a　start；　for　in　his　sleep　he　thought　he　heard　the
sounds　of　paddles　beating　the　quiet　water。　Yes；　there　dimly　seen
through　the　mist；　was　a　canoe；　and　seated　in　the　stern　of　it　Fahni。　So
that　danger　had　gone　by　also。

He　woke　his　companions；　who　slept　at　his　side；　and　very　silently　they
rose；　stepping　from　rock　to　rock　till　they　reached　the　canoe　and
entered　it。　It　was　not　a　large　craft；　barely　big　enough　to　hold　them
all　indeed；　but　they　found　room；　and　then　at　a　sign　from　Fahni　the
oarsmen　gave　way　so　heartily　that　within　half　an　hour　they　had　lost
sight　of　the　accursed　shores　of　Asiki…land；　although　presently　its
mountains　showed　up　clearly　beneath　the　moon。

Meanwhile　Fahni　had　told　his　tale。　It　appeared　that　when　he　reached
the　bay　he　found　the　Asiki　headman　who　dwelt　there；　and　those　under
him；　in　a　state　of　considerable　excitement。

Rumours　had　reached　them　that　someone　had　escaped　from　Bonsa　Town；
they　thought　it　was　the　Mungana。　Fahni　asked　who　had　brought　the
rumour；　whereon　the　headman　answered　that　it　came　〃in　a　dream；〃　and
would　say　no　more。　Then　he　demanded　the　canoe　which　had　been　promised
to　him　and　his　people；　and　the　headman　admitted　that　it　was　ready　in
accordance　with　orders　received　from　the　Asika；　but　demurred　to
letting　him　have　it。　A　long　argument　followed；　in　the　midst　of　which
Fahni　and　his　men　got　into　the　canoe；　the　headman　apparently　not
daring　to　use　force　to　prevent　him。　Just　as　they　were　pushing　off　a
messenger　arrived　from　Bonsa　Town；　reeling　with　exhaustion　and　his
tongue　hanging　from　his　jaws；　who　called　out　that　it　was　the　white　man
who　had　escaped　with　his　servant　and　the　Mungana；　and　that　although
they　were　believed　to　be　still　hidden　in　the　holy　woods　near　Bonsa
Town；　none　were　to　be　allowed　to　leave　the　bay。　So　the　headman　shouted
to　Fahni　to　return；　but　he　pretended　not　to　hear　and　rowed　away；　nor
did　anyone　attempt　to　follow　him。　Still　it　was　only　after　nightfall
that　he　dared　to　put　the　boat　about　and　return　to　the　headland　to　pick
up　Alan　and　the　others　as　he　had　promised。　That　was　all　he　had　to　say。

Alan　thanked　him　heartily　for　his　faithfulness　and　they　paddled　on
steadily；　putting　mile　after　mile　of　water　between　them　and　Asiki…
land。　He　wondered　whether　he　had　seen　the　last　of　that　country　and　its
inhabitants。　Something　within　him　answered　No。　He　was　sure　that　the
Asika　would　not　allow　him　to　depart　in　peace　without　making　some
desperate　effort　to　recapture　him。　Far　as　he　was　away；　it　seemed　to
him　that　he　could　feel　her　fury　hanging　over　him　like　a　cloud；　a　cloud
that　would　burst　in　a　rain　of　blood。　Doubtless　it　would　have　burst
already　had　it　not　been　for　the　accident　that　he　and　his　companions
were　still　supposed　to　be　hiding　in　the　woods。　But　that　error　must　be
discovered；　and　then　would　come　the　pursuit。

He　looked　at　the　full　moon　shining　upon　him　and　reflected　that　at　this
very　hour　he　should　have　been　seated　upon　the　chair　of　state；　wedding；
or　rather　being　wedded　by　the　Asika　in　the　presence　of　Big　and　Little
Bonsa　and　all　the　people。　His　eye　fell　upon　the　Mungana；　who　had　also
been　destined　to　play　a　prominent　part　in　that　ceremony。　At　once　he
saw　that　there　was　something　wrong　with　the　man。　A　curious　change　had
come　over　his　emaciated　face。　It　was　working　like　that　of　a　maniac。
Foam　appeared　upon　his　dyed　lips；　his　haunted　eyes　rolled；　his　thin
hands　gripped　the　side　of　the　canoe　and　he　began　to　sing；　or　rather
howl　like　a　dog　baying　at　the　stars。　Jeekie　hit　him　on　the　head　and
bade　him　be　silent；　but　he　took　no　notice；　even　when　he　hit　him　again
more　heavily。　Presently　came　the　climax。　The　man　sprang　up　in　the
canoe；　causing　it　to　rock　from　side　to　side。　He　pointed　to　the　full
moon　above　and　howled　more　loudly　than　before；　he　pointed　to　something
that　he　seemed　to　see　in　the　air　near　by　and　gibbered　as　though　in
terror。　Then　his　eyes　fixed　themselves　upon　the　water　at　which　he
stared。

Harder　and　harder　he　stared；　his　head　sinking　lower　every　moment；　till
at　length　without　another　sound；　very　quietly　and　unexpectedly　he　went
over　the　side　of　the　boat。　For　a　few　seconds　they　saw　his　bright…
coloured　garments　sinking　to　the　depths；　then　he　vanished。

They　waited　a　while；　expecting　that　he　would　rise　again。　But　he　never
rose。　A　shot…weighted　corpse　could　not　have　disappeared　more　finally
and　completely。　The　thing　was　very　awful；　and　for　a　while　there　was
silence；　which　as　usual　was　broken　by　Jeekie。

〃That　gay　dog　gone；〃　he　said　in　a　reflective　voice。　〃All　those　old
ghosts　come　to　fetch　him　at　proper　time。　No　good　run　away　from　ghosts；
they　travel　too　quick；　one　jump；　and　pop　up　where　you　no　expect。　Well；
more　place　for　Jeekie　now；〃　and　he　spread　himself　out　comfortably　in
the　empty　seat；　adding；　〃like　hello…swello's　room　much　better　than
company；　he　go　in　scent…bath　every　day　and　stink　too　much；　all　that
water　never　wash　/him/　clean。〃

Thus　died　the　Mungana；　and　such　was　the　poor　wretch's　requiem。　With　a
shiver　Alan　reflected　that　had　it　not　been　for　him　and　his　insane
jealousy；　he　too　might　have　been　expected　to　go　into　that　same　scent…
bath　and　have　his　face　painted　like　a　chorus　girl。　Only　would　he
escape　the　spell　that　had　destroyed　his　predecessor　in　the　affections
of　the　priestess　of　the　Bonsas？　Or　would　some　dim　power　such　as　had
drawn　Mungana　to　the　death　drag　him　back　to　the　arms　of　the　Asika　or
to　the　torture　pit　of　〃Great　Swimming　Head。〃　He　remembered　his　dream
in　the　Treasure　Hall　and　shuddered　at　the　very　thought　of　it；　for　all
he　had　undergone　and　seen　made　him　superstitious；　then　bade　the　men
paddle　faster；　ever　faster。

All　that　night　they　rowed　on；　taking　turns　to　rest；　except　Alan　and
Jeekie；　who　slept　a　good　deal　and　as　a　consequence　awoke　at　dawn　much
refreshed。　When　the　sun　rose　they　found　themselves　across　the　lagoon；
over　thirty　miles　from　the　borders　of　Asiki…land；　almost　at　the　spot
where　the　river　up　which　they　had　travelled　some　months　before；　flowed
out　of　the　lake。　Whether　by　chance　or　skill　Fahni　had　steered　a
wonderfully　straight　course。　Now；　however；　they　were　face　to　face　with
a　new　trouble；　for　scarcely　had　they　begun　to　descend　the　river　when
they　discovered　that　at　this　dry　season　of　the　year　it　was　in　ma