ow or where no man ever
learned. He looked forward and saw a peculiar sight, for in the prow of
the drifting canoe stood Jeekie clad in the remains of his white robe
and wearing on his head the battered helmet and about his shoulders the
torn fragments of green mosquito net. While Alan was wondering strangely
why he had adopted this ceremonial garb, from out of the mist there came
a sound of singing, of wild and solemn singing. Jeekie seemed to listen
to it; then he lifted up his great musical voice and sang as though in
answer. What he sang Alan could not understand, but he recognized that
the language which he used was that of the Asiki people.

A pause and a confused murmuring, and now again the wild song rose and
again Jeekie answered.

"What the deuce are you doing? Where are we?" asked Alan faintly.

Jeekie turned and beamed upon him; although his teeth were chattering
and his face was hollow, still he beamed.

"You awake, Major?" he said. "Thought good old sun do trick. Feel your
heart now and find it beat. Pulse, too, strong, though temp'rature
not normal. Well, good news this morning. Little Bonsa come out top as
usual. Asiki priests on bank there. Can't see them, but know their song
and answer. Same old game as thirty years ago. Asiki never change, which
good business when you been away long while."

"Hang the Asiki," said Alan feebly, "I think all these poor beggars are
dead, and he pointed to the rowers.

"Look like it, Major, but what that matter now since you and I alive?
Plenty more where they come from. Not dead though, think only sleep, no
like cold, like dormouse. But never mind cannibal pig. They serve our
turn, if they live, live; if they die, die and God have mercy on souls,
if cannibal have soul. Ah! here we are," and from beneath six inches of
water he dragged up the tin box containing Little Bonsa, from which he
extracted the fetish, wet but uninjured.

"Put her on now, Major. Put her on at once and come sit in prow of
canoe. Must reach Asiki-land in proper style. Priests think it your
reverend uncle come back again, just as he leave. Make very good
impression."

"I can't," said Alan feebly. "I am played out, Jeekie."

"Oh! buck up, Major, buck up!" he replied imploringly. "One kick more
and you win race, mustn't spoil ship for ha'porth of tar. You just wear
fetish, whistle once on land, and then go to sleep for whole week if you
like. I do rest, say it all magic, and so forth--that you