“Peace, my mother,” said Jeekie, patting her on the head.  “Do what I tell you and you shall have more blankets than you can wear and, as you are still so handsome, another husband too if you like, and a garden and slaves to work for you and plenty to eat.”

“How shall I get all these things, my son?” asked the old woman, looking up.  “Will you take me to your home and support me, or will that white lord marry me?  They told me that the Asika had named him as the Mungana, and she is very jealous, the most jealous Asika that I have ever known.”

“No, mother, he would like to, but he dare not, and I cannot support you as I should wish, as here I have no house or property.  You will get all this by taking a walk and holding your tongue.  You see this man here, he is Fahni, king of a great tribe, the Ogula.  He wants you to carry a message for him, and by and by he will marry you, won’t you, Fahni?”

“Oh! yes, yes,” said Fahni; “I will do anything she likes.  No one shall be so rich and honoured in my country, and for her sake we will never eat another old woman, whereas if she stays here she will be driven to the mountains to starve in a week.”

“Set out the matter,” said the mother of Jeekie, who was by no means so foolish as she seemed.

So they told her what she must do, namely, travel down to the Ogula and tell them of the plight of their chief, bidding them muster all their fighting men and when the swamps were dry enough, advance as near as they dared to the Asiki country and, if they could not attack it, wait till they had further news.

The end of it was that the mother of Jeekie, who knew her case to be desperate at home, where she was in no good repute, promised to attempt the journey in consideration of advantages to be received.  Since she was to be turned adrift to meet her fate with as much food as she could carry, this she could do without exciting any suspicion, for who would trouble about the movements of a useless old thief?  Meanwhile Jeekie gave her one of the robes which the Asika had provided for Alan, also various articles which she desired and, having learned Fahni’s message by heart and announced that she considered herself his affianced bride, the gaunt old creature departed happy enough after exchanging embraces with her long lost son.

“She will tell somebody all about it and we shall only get our throats cut,” said Alan wearily, for the whole thing seemed to him a foolish farce.

“No, no, Major.  I make her swear not split on ghosts of all her husbands and by Big Bonsa hisself.  She sit tight as wax, because she think they haunt her if she don’t and I too by and by when I dead.  P’raps she get to Ogula country and p’raps not.  If she don’t, can’t help it and no harm done.  Break my heart, but only one old woman less.  Anyhow she hold tongue, that main point, and I really very glad find my ma, who never hoped to see again.  Heaven very kind to Jeekie, give him back to family bosom,” he added, unctuously.