the magic of Moonspirit,
vide Mungongo, had made Bakahenzie uneasy.

After a full half-hour Bakahenzie, as if beaten in this solemn game,
turned gravely and saluted the white. Birnier looked down from his chair
with the affectation of just having noticed that some one was there. After
a pause he returned the greeting, a little point which Bakahenzie
thoroughly appreciated. Birnier had learned that according to Mungongo and
the warrior, Zalu Zako had not yet been anointed king-god; therefore that
Bakahenzie evidently intended to keep the young man in the background.

After preliminaries, Birnier inquired after Zalu Zako and informed
Bakahenzie that he had journeyed expressly to see him. Bakahenzie ignored
the question and began to talk about Eyes-in-the-hands, demanding to know
whether Birnier was his brother.

"Nay," said Birnier, "Eyes-in-the-hands is not of the same tribe as
Moonspirit," for he sedulously followed up the title which Mungongo had
given him. "Eyes-in-the-hands comes from a country twelve moons distant
from my country."

Marufa squatting beside him grunted; Bakahenzie took snuff nonchalantly as
if he did not believe a word.

"Eyes-in-the-hands is a mighty magician in his own country," said
Bakahenzie in the form of an assertion.

"The magic of Eyes-in-the-hands to the magic of Moonspirit," stated
Birnier, "is as water to the beer of the banana."

"Eyes-in-the-hands," remarked Bakahenzie indifferently, "hath magic to
make the souls of man to be seen by all."

"Those are but the souls of the belly and body, but Moonspirit can enchant
so that the spirit of the head of man be seen at night," boasted Birnier,
wondering what trick of zu Pfeiffer's had produced the effect.

"Eyes-in-the-hands," insisted Bakahenzie, "hath a spirit in a piece of a
tree which cries or laughs, sings or talks to his magic."

"Moonspirit," retorted Birnier (thinking "Gramophone, but I can go one
better, my friend"), "hath also a spirit in a piece of tree who will speak
words of wisdom unto thee in thine own tongue, who will repeat that which
is said unto him in thy tongue or in my tongue, who will speak words of
wisdom even unto thee."

Bakahenzie seemed outmatched in the boasting tournament. He tapped snuff
woodenly. Marufa scratched his skinny ribs thoughtfully. Then Bakahenzie
remarked:

"He that hath not been cleansed may not look upon the Son-of-the-Snake."

"He that hath not been anointed need have no fear of th