Then he gave some orders to two attendant priests who departed at a run and presently reappeared at the head of a small train of camels which had been hidden, I know not where.  We mounted and, following the road across a flat piece of ground, found that not more than half a mile away was another precipitous ridge of rock which had presumably once formed the lip of an outer crater.  This ridge, however, was broken away for a width of two or three hundred yards, perhaps by some outrush of lava, the road running through the centre of the gap on which schanzes had been built here and there for purposes of defence.  Looking at these I saw that they were very old and inefficient and asked when they had been erected.  Harut replied about a century before when the last war took place with the Black Kendah, who had been finally driven off at this spot, for then the White Kendah were more numerous than at present.

“So Simba knows this road?” I said.

“Yes, Lord, and Jana knows it also, for he fought in that war and still at times visits us here and kills any whom he may meet.  Only to the temple he has never dared to come.”

Now I wondered whether we had really seen Jana in the forest on the previous night, but coming to the conclusion that it was useless to investigate the matter, made no inquiries, especially as these would have revealed to Harut the route by which we approached the temple.  Only I pointed out to him that proper defences should be put up here without delay, that is if they meant to make a stronghold of the mountain.

“We do, Lord,” he answered, “since we are not strong enough to attack the Black Kendah in their own country or to meet them in pitched battle on the plain.  Here and in no other place must be fought the last fight between Jana and the Child.  Therefore it will be your task to build walls cunningly, so that when they come we may defeat Jana and the hosts of the Black Kendah.”

“Do you mean that this elephant will accompany Simba and his soldiers, Harut?”

“Without doubt, Lord, since he has always done so from the beginning.  Jana is tame to the king and certain priests of the Black Kendah, whose forefathers have fed him for generations, and will obey their orders.  Also he can think for himself, being an evil spirit and invulnerable.”

“His left eye and the tip of his trunk are not invulnerable,” I remarked, “though from what I saw of him I should say there is no doubt about his being able to think for himself.  Well, I am glad the brute is coming as I have an account to settle with him.”

“As he, Lord, who does not forget, has an account to settle with you and your servant, Light-in-Darkness,” commented Harut in an unpleasant and suggestive tone.