left this child
with the witch doctor, and now----" he hesitated again.

"And now?" repeated Hamilton.

"Now, lord," said the boy, "this witch doctor, whose name is Bogolono,
says she must bring him rich presents at the full of every moon, because
her son and my brother is the devil-child whom M'bisibi has predicted.
And if she brings no rich presents he will take the child to the
village, and there will be an end."

Hamilton called his orderly.

"Give this boy some chop," he said; "to-morrow we will have a longer
palaver."

He waited till the man and his charge were out of earshot, then he
turned to Bones.

"Bones," he said, seriously, "I think you had better leave unobtrusively
for M'bisibi's village, find the woman, and bring her to safety. You
will know the village," he added, unnecessarily, "it is the one you
didn't find last time."

Bones left insubordinately and made no response.

* * * * *

II

Bosambo, with his arms folded across his brawny chest, looked curiously
at the deputation which had come to him.

"This is a bad palaver," said Bosambo, "for it seems to me that when
little chiefs do that which is wrong, it is an ill thing; but when great
kings, such as your master Iberi, stand at the back of such wrongdoings,
that is the worst thing of all, and though this M'bisibi is a wise man,
as we all know, and indeed the only wise man of your people, has brought
out this devil-child, and makes a killing palaver, then M'ilitani will
come very quickly with his soldiers and there will be an end to little
chiefs and big chiefs alike."

"Lord, that will be so," said the messenger, "unless all chiefs in the
land stand in brotherhood together. And because we know Sandi loves you,
and M'ilitani also, and that Tibbetti himself is as tender to you as a
brother, M'bisibi sent this word saying, 'Go to Bosambo, and say
M'bisibi, the wise man, bids him come to a great and fearful palaver
touching the matter of several devils. Tell him also that great evil
will come to this land, to his land and to mine, to his wife and the
wives of his counsellors, and to his children and theirs, unless we make
an end to certain devils.'"

Bosambo, chin on clenched fist, looked thoughtfully at the other.

"This cannot be," said he in a troubled voice; "for though I die and all
that is wonderful to me shall pass out of this world, yet I must do no
thing which is unlawful in the eyes of Sandi, m