ople and to destroy them with magic and
bullets."

"Then he lied," thundered Brother John, "and he knew that he lied."

"Yes, yes, it is evident that he lied," answered Bausi. "Bring him here,
and with him those who serve him."

Now by the light of the moon which was shining brightly in the heavens,
for the thunder-clouds had departed with the last glow of sunset,
soldiers began an active search for Imbozwi and his confederates. Of
these they caught eight or ten, all wicked-looking fellows hideously
painted and adorned like their master, but Imbozwi himself they could
not find.

I began to think that in the confusion he had given us the slip, when
presently from the far end of the line, for we were still all tied to
our stakes, I heard the voice of Sammy, hoarse, it is true, but quite
cheerful now, saying:

"Mr. Quatermain, in the interests of justice, will you inform his
Majesty that the treacherous wizard for whom he is seeking, is now
peeping and muttering at the bottom of the grave which was dug to
receive my mortal remains."

I did inform his Majesty, and in double-quick time our friend Imbozwi
was once more fished out of a grave by the strong arms of Babemba and
his soldiers, and dragged into the presence of the irate Bausi.

"Loose the white lords and their followers," said Bausi, "and let them
come here."

So our bonds were undone and we walked to where the king and Brother
John stood, the miserable Imbozwi and his attendant doctors huddled in a
heap before them.

"Who is this?" said Bausi to him, pointing at Brother John. "Is it not
he whom you vowed was dead?"

Imbozwi did not seem to think that the question required an answer, so
Bausi continued:

"What was the song that you sang in our ears just now--that if Dogeetah
came you would be ready to be shot to death with arrows in the place of
these white lords whose lives you swore away, was it not?"

Again Imbozwi made no answer, although Babemba called his attention to
the king's query with a vigorous kick. Then Bausi shouted:

"By your own mouth are you condemned, O liar, and that shall be done
to you which you have yourself decreed," adding almost in the words of
Elijah after he had triumphed over the priests of Baal, "Take away these
false prophets. Let none of them escape. Say you not so, O people?"

"Aye," roared the multitude fiercely, "take them away."

"Not a popular character, Imbozwi," Stephen remarked to me in a
reflective voice.