the
eighth hour, when at a given signal we all crept through the bushes for
about an hour, and by the moonlight we saw just ahead of us the boma
(palisade) of the king's village. I assure you we did not stop long to
look at it, for our horns gave the signal and we all ran for the boma.
Quick as a flash of powder in the musket-pan, as you may say, the men of
Kisesa were at the palisade, and had their guns pointed at the village
through the bare; but not a gun was fired, as Kisesa knew how to make
war.

"Kisesa blew his horn, and a voice from the village shouted out to ask
who we were, and what we wanted.

"Our chief replied, `Come out to fight, for Kisesa is at your gates.'

"`Kisesa!' said the voice, in an astonished tone. `Kisesa! it cannot be
Kisesa from Unyanyembe!'

"`It is Kisesa, and no other man. I am Kisesa, and I have come to kill
you.'

"The man said then, `Kisesa has been in a hurry to die to come so soon
to Kwikuru, the capital of the King of Urori. Does Kisesa usually fight
in such a hurry? It has been our custom to talk first before we fight.
What does Kisesa mean?' asked the King, for it was he, though we could
not see him, as he took care not to let himself be seen.

"`Thou art a dog, and a son of a dog!' answered Kisesa. `Hast thou not
been making war upon our merchants, killing them in the forest for the
sake of their ivory? Hast thou not been mutilating their young sons by
cutting off their right hands? Hast thou not been beating the prisoners
with sticks until many of them have died under the torture? Hast thou
not asked for Kisesa, the great Arab warrior, that thou mightest flay
him alive and make clothes of his skin to cover thy nakedness? Lo!
Kisesa is here at thy gates; come and take his skin.'

"`Kisesa, thou hast done well to come to me before I came for thee.
Kisesa, thou art a good man, but I will flay thee alive nevertheless,
and thou shalt know what it is to come to the gates of Mostana, like a
thief at night. They told me thou wert brave. Is it brave to do what
thou hast done? My young son Kalulu, who is but a child, is more than a
match for thee. Halt where thou art until daylight, that we may at
least see him who is said to be brave, but is but a night prowler!'

"`Mostana, if that be thy name,' said Kisesa, `I will wait for thee
until the sun appears in the east. Thou shalt then look on my face and
die. I have spoken.'

"So we all laid down close against the p