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its side； was placed at the end of the irregular line。
To the left a body of men were engaged in binding the
arms of the survivors of the cannibals behind them；
and then fastening them two and two。 The villains were
submitting with a look of sulky indifference upon
their faces which accorded ill with the baffled fury
that gleamed in their sombre eyes。 In front of these
men； directing the operations； stood no…other than our
friend Billali； looking rather tired； but particularly
patriarchal with his flowing beard； and as cool and
unconcerned as though he were superintending the
cutting…up of an ox。
Presently he turned； and； perceiving that I was
sitting up； advanced to me； and with the utmost
courtesy said that he trusted that I felt better。 I
answered that at present I scarcely knew how I felt；
except that I ached all over。
Then he bent down and examined Leo's wound。
〃It is a nasty cut；〃 he said； 〃but the spear has not
pierced the entrails。 He will recover。〃
〃Thanks to thy arrival； my father；〃 I answered。 〃In
another minute we should all have been beyond the
reach of recovery； for those devils of thine would
have slain us as they would have slain our servant；〃
and I pointed towards Mahomed。
The old man ground his teeth； and I saw an
extraordinary expression of malignity light up his
eyes。
〃Fear not； my son；〃 he answered。 〃Vengeance shall be
taken on them such as would make the flesh twist upon
the bones merely to hear of it。 To _i_ She _i_ shall
they go； and her vengeance shall be worthy of her
greatness。 That man；〃 pointing to Mahomed； 〃I tell
thee that man would have died a merciful death to the
death these hyena…men shall die。 Tell me； I pray of
thee； how it came about。〃
In a few words I sketched what had happened。
〃Ah； so；〃 he answered。 〃Thou seest； my son； here there
is a custom that if a stranger comes into this country
he may be slain by 'the pot；' and eaten。〃
〃It is hospitality turned upside down；〃 I answered；
feebly。 〃In our country we entertain a stranger； and
give him food to eat。 Here ye eat him； and are
entertained。〃
〃It is a custom；〃 he answered； with a shrug。 〃Myself I
think it an evil one； but then；〃 he added； by an
afterthought； 〃I do not like the taste of strangers；
especially after they have wandered through the swamps
and lived on wild fowl。 When _i_ She…who…must…be…
obeyed _i_ sent orders that ye were to be saved alive
she said naught of the black man； therefore； being
hyenas； these men lusted after his flesh； and the
woman it was； whom thou didst rightly slay； who put it
into their evil hearts to hot…pot him。 Well； they will
have their reward。 Better for them would it be if they
had never seen the light than that they should stand
before _i_ She _i_ in her terrible anger。 Happy are
those of them who died by your hands。〃
〃Ah；〃 he went on； 〃it was a gallant fight that ye
fought。 Knowest thou； that thou； long…armed old baboon
that thou art； hast crushed in the ribs of those two
who are laid out there as though they were but as the
shell on an egg？ And the young one； the lion； it was a
beautiful stand that he madeone against so many
three did he slay outright； and that one there〃and
he pointed to a body that was still moving a little
〃will die anon； for his head is cracked across； and
others of those who are bound are hurt。 It was a
gallant fight； and thou and he have made a friend of
me by it； for I love to see a well…fought fray。 But
tell me； my son； the Baboonand now I think of it thy
face； too； is hairy； and altogether like a baboon's
how was it that ye slew those with a hole in them？ Ye
made a noise； they say； and slew themthey fell down
on their faces at the noise？〃
I explained to him as well as I could； but very
shortlyI was terribly wearied； and only persuaded to
talk at all through of offending one so powerful if I
refused to do sowhat were the properties of
gunpowder； and he instantly suggested that I should
illustrate what I said by operating on the person of
the prisoners。 One； he said； never would be counted；
and it would not only very interesting to him； but
would give me an opportunity of an instalment of
revenge。 He was greatly astonished when I told him
that it was not our custom to avenge ourselves in cold
blood and that we left vengeance to the law and a
higher power； of which he knew nothing。 I added；
however； that when I recovered I would take him out
shooting with us； and he should kill an animal for
himself； and at this he was as pleased。 as a child at
the promise of a new toy。
Just then Leo opened his eyes beneath the stimulus of
some brandy （of which we still had a little） that Job
had poured down his throat； and our conversation came
to an end。
After this we managed to get Leo； who was in a very
poor way indeed； and only half…conscious； safely off
to bed； supported by Job and that brave girl Ustane；
to whom； had I not been afraid she might resent it； I
would certainly have given a kiss for her splendid
behavior in saving my dear boy's life at the risk of
her own。 But Ustane was not the sort of young person
with whom one would care to take liberties unless one
were perfectly certain that they would not be
misunderstood； so I repressed my inclinations。 Then；
bruised and battered； but with a sense of safety in my
breast to which I had for some days been a stranger； I
crept off to my own little sepulchre； not forgetting
before I laid down in it to thank Providence from the
bottom of my heart that it was not a sepulchre indeed；
as； were it not for a merciful combination of events
that I can only attribute to its protection； it would
certainly have been for me that night。 Few men have
been nearer their end and yet escaped it than we were
on that dreadful day。
I am a bad sleeper at the best of times； and my dreams
that night； when at last I got to rest； were not of
the pleasantest。 The awful vision of poor Mahomed
struggling to escape the red…hot pot would haunt them；
and then in the background； as it were； a veiled form
was always hovering； which； from time to time； seemed
to draw the coverings from its body； revealing now the
perfect shape of a lovely blooming woman； and now
again the white bones of a grinning skeleton； and
which； as it veiled and unveiled； uttered the
mysterious and apparently meaningless sentence：
〃That which is alive hath known death； and that which
is dead yet can never die； for in the Circle of the
Spirit life is naught and death is naught。 Yea； all
things live forever； though at times they sleep and
are forgotten。〃
The morning came at last； but when it came I found
that I was too stiff and sore to rise。 About seven Job
arrived； limping terribly； and with his face the color
of a rotten apple； and told me that Leo had slept
fairly； but was very weak。 Two hours afterwards
Billali （Job called him 〃Billy…goat；〃 to which indeed
his white beard gave him some resemblance； or more
familiarly 〃Billy〃） came too； bearing a lamp in his
hand； his towering form reaching nearly to the roof of
the