ridge, and think as I eat them how often they were
patted by the silly old King Katalambula. Sleep in peace to-night,
Kalulu. Sleep well, for it will be thy last night's sleep. Farewell!"

"Stay, Tifum Byah, stay one moment," cried Kalulu gently, as if he
dearly loved the wretch. "Didst thou hear Soltali's words?"

"Ay, certainly I did. Am I deaf?" asked Tifum.

"Dost thou not fear the fate Soltali promised thee?" asked Kalulu, with
mock earnestness.

"I fear a mad old man's ravings! Tifum the Wicked fear what Soltali
said! Bah, bah; sleep, Kalulu, go to sleep."

"But stay one moment and hear me. Kalulu shall be King over the Watuta,
and he will take thy head off surely, and give it to the Kituta dogs.
Come here and bend thy head, closer, I wish to tell thee something,"
said Kalulu, as he nodded with his head. "There, so! How dost thou
like--" but that moment Kalulu buried his sharp teeth in Tifum's cheeks,
and held on with the tenacity of a bull-dog, while Tifum, uttering a
shrill cry of pain, could only release himself by clutching the boy's
neck and strangling him to unconsciousness. Tifum's face bore a
frightful wound, for the teeth, filed into a point in front, according
to the customs of the Ututa, had bitten a piece clean out, leaving the
cheek-bone exposed, which quite spoiled what beauty he had for ever.

As he felt the havoc made in his cheek the man uttered a frightful howl,
and seized a spear-staff and began to belabour the unconscious boy. He
probably would have beaten him to death had not Ferodia appeared and
ordered him to desist, and to reserve his revenge for the morrow, when
he might take it in full.

It was difficult to restrain the infuriated man, while his whole head
tingled with the most exquisite pain; but then Ferodia was King, and a
King's commands must be obeyed even though his whole body ached, and he
at last turned away moaning over his wound.

Soltali, the Mganga, was more feared when dead than when alive, it
seemed, for while his body was being rapidly consumed the people had
begun to move their camp a few yards off, none daring to erect his hut
near the awful ashes of the magician, and as night came, with its sombre
shades filling the whole forest with almost palpable darkness, and
thick, dark, formless shadows, it was noticeable that they still further
retreated from the death tree, and whispered to each other their belief
that Soltali's spirit was in the tree, with gr