ty, Zikali?"

"By sea, I suppose, Macumazahn, but I think that you will be wise not to
try that road, since I believe that on the sea side the marshes are now
impassable and you will be safer on your feet."

"You want me to go on this adventure, Zikali. Why? I know you never do
anything without motive."

"Oho! Macumazahn, you are clever and see deeper into the trunk of a tree
than most. Yes, I want you to go for three reasons. First, that you
may satisfy your soul on certain matters and I would help you to do so.
Secondly, because I want to satisfy mine, and thirdly, because I know
that you will come back safe to be a prop to me in things that will
happen in days unborn. Otherwise I would have told you nothing of this
story, since it is necessary to me that you should remain living beneath
the sun."

"Have done, Zikali. What is it that you desire?"

"Oh! a great deal that I shall get, but chiefly two things, so with
the rest I will not trouble you. First I desire to know to know whether
these dreams of mine of a wonderful white witch-doctoress, or witch, and
of my converse with her are indeed more than dreams. Next I would learn
whether certain plots of mine at which I have worked for years, will
succeed."

"What plots, Zikali, and how can my taking a distant journey tell you
anything about them?"

"You know them well enough, Macumazahn; they have to do with the
overthrow of a Royal House that has worked me bitter wrong. As to how
your journey can help me, why, thus. You shall promise to me to ask
of this Queen whether Zikali, Opener-of-Roads, shall triumph or be
overthrown in that on which he has set his heart."

"As you seem to know this witch so well, why do you not ask her
yourself, Zikali?"

"To ask is one thing, Macumazahn. To get an answer is another. I have
asked in the watches of the night, and the reply was, 'Come hither and
perchance I will tell you.' 'Queen,' I said, 'how can I come save in the
spirit, who am an ancient and a crippled dwarf scarcely able to stand
upon my feet?'

"'Then send a messenger, Wizard, and be sure that he is white, for of
black savages I have seen more than enough. Let him bear a token also
that he comes from you and tell me of it in your sleep. Moreover let
that token be something of power which will protect him on the journey.'

"Such is the answer that comes to me in my dreams, Macumazahn."

"Well, what token will you give me, Zikali?"

He groped about in his rob