"What terms?" asked Alan.
"These, white man: that we should surrender you and your servant and go
our way unharmed."
"Indeed, Fahni, and what did you answer?"
"White man, I refused; but I tell you," he added warningly, "that my
captains wished to accept. They said that I had come back to them safe
and that they fear the Asiki, who are devils, not men, and who will
bring the curse of Bonsa on us if we go on fighting with them. Still I
refused, saying that if they gave you up I would go with you, who saved
my life from the lion and afterwards from the priests of Bonsa. So the
messenger went back and, white man, we march at once, and I pray you
always to keep close to me that I may watch over you."
Then began that long tramp down the river, which Alan always thought
afterwards tried him more than any of the terrible events of his escape.
For although there was but little fighting, only rearguard actions
indeed, every day the Asiki sent messengers renewing their offers of
peace on the sole condition of the surrender of himself and Jeekie. At
last one evening they came to that place where Alan first met the Ogula,
and once more he camped upon the island on which he had shot the lion.
Pages:
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373