“Hush,” said Jeekie, “mustn’t call her names here in her own house.  Little Bonsa much more than fetish, Little Bonsa alive, or so,” he added doubtfully, “these silly niggers say.  She wife of Big Bonsa, you see, to-morrow p’raps.  But their story this, that she get dead sick of Big Bonsa and bolt with white Medicine man, who dare preach she nothing but heathen idol.  She want show him whether or no she only idol.  That the yarn, priests tell it me to-day.  They always watch for her there by the edge of the lake.  They always sure Little Bonsa come back.  Not at all surprised, but as she love you once, you stop holy; and I holy also, thank goodness, because she take me too as servant.  Therefore we sleep in peace, for they not cut out throats, at any rate at present, though I think,” he added mournfully, “they not let us go either.”

Alan sat down on a stool and groaned at the appalling prospect suggested by this information.

“Cheer up, Major,” said Jeekie sympathetically.  “Perhaps manage hook it somehow, and meanwhile make best of bad business and have high old time.  You see you want to come Asiki-land, though I tell you it rum place, and,” he added with certitude and a circular sweep of his hand, “by Jingo! you here now and I daresay they give you all the gold you want.”

“What’s the good of gold unless one can get away with it?  What’s the good of anything if we are prisoners among these devils?”

“Perhaps time show, Major.  Hush! here come dinner.  You sit still on stool and look holy.”

The door opened and through it appeared four of the women bearing dishes and cups full of drink, fashioned of gold like that which had been given to Alan in the litter.  He noticed at once that they had removed their veils and outer garments, if indeed they were the same women, and now, like many other Africans, were but lightly clad in linen capes open in front that hung over their shoulders, short petticoats or skirts about their middles, and sandals.  Such was their attire which, scanty as it might be, was yet becoming enough and extremely rich.  Thus the cape was fastened with a brooch of worked gold, so were the sandal straps, while the petticoat was adorned with beads of gold that jingled as they walked, and amongst them strings of other beads of various and beautiful colours, that might be glass or might be precious stones.  Moreover, these women were young and handsome, having splendid figures and well-cut features, soft, dark eyes and rather long hair worn in the formal and attractive fashion that has been described.