But," she added cheerfully, "I
can send away this black dog of yours," and she looked at Jeekie, "and
he can write to us. No, I cannot, for an accident might happen to him,
and they tell me you say that if he dies, you die also, so he must stop
here always. What have you in those little boxes?"
"The gold you gave me, Asika, packed in loads."
"A small gift enough," she answered contemptuously; "would you not like
more, since you value that stuff? Well, another time you shall send all
you want. Meanwhile the porters are waiting, fifty men and three, as you
sent me word, and ten spare ones to take the place of any who die. But
how they will find their way, I know not, since none of them have ever
been to the coast."
An idea occurred to Alan, who had small faith in Jeekie's "ma" as a
messenger.
"The Ogula prisoners could show them," he said; "at any rate as far as
the forest, and after that they could find out. May they not go, Asika?"
"If you will," she answered carelessly. "Let them be ready to start
to-morrow at the dawn, all except their chief, Fahni, who must stop
here as a hostage. I do not trust those Ogula, who more than once have
threatened to make war upon us," she added, then turned and bade the
priests bring in the bearers to receive their instructions.
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