wn on his haunches and for
ten minutes looked at the captain. Then he felt the palms of his hands
and the soles of his feet. The girl watched him with frightened eyes. No
word was spoken. Then he asked for something that the captain had worn.
The girl gave him the old felt hat which the captain used constantly and
taking it he sat down again on the floor, clasping it firmly with both
hands; and rocking backwards and forwards slowly he muttered some
gibberish in a very low tone.

At last he gave a little sigh and dropped the hat. He took an old pipe
out of his trouser pocket and lit it. The girl went over to him and sat
by his side. He whispered something to her, and she started violently.
For a few minutes they talked in hurried undertones, and then they stood
up. She gave him money and opened the door for him. He slid out as
silently as he had come in. Then she went over to the captain and leaned
over him so that she could speak into his ear.

"It's an enemy praying you to death."

"Don't talk fool stuff, girlie," he said impatiently.

"It's truth. It's God's truth. That's why the American doctor couldn't
do anything. Our people can do that. I've seen it done. I thought you
were safe because you were a white man."

"I haven't an enemy."

"Bananas."

"What's he want to pray me to death for?"

"You ought to have fired him before he had a chance."

"I guess if I ain't got nothing more the matter with me than Bananas'
hoodoo I shall be sitting up and taking nourishment in a very few days."

She was silent for a while and she looked at him intently.

"Don't you know you're dying?" she said to him at last.

That was what the two skippers had thought, but they hadn't said it. A
shiver passed across the captain's wan face.

"The doctor says there ain't nothing really the matter with me. I've
only to lie quiet for a bit and I shall be all right."

She put her lips to his ear as if she were afraid that the air itself
might hear.

"You're dying, dying, dying. You'll pass out with the old moon."

"That's something to know."

"You'll pass out with the old moon unless Bananas dies before."

He was not a timid man and he had recovered already from the shock her
words, and still more her vehement, silent manner, had given him. Once
more a smile flickered in his eyes.

"I guess I'll take my chance, girlie."

"There's twelve days before the new moon."

There was something in her tone that gave him an idea.

"