Part 23 (1/2)
He must have come upon a solution suddenly, for he stopped dead in his walk, and stood still, thinking profoundly, with his head upon his breast Then he turned and walked quickly back to his bungalow
What date had been chosen for the rising we may never know for certain What is known is that the Akasava, the N'Go in secret for a tireat news
Sandi was dead
A canoe had overturned on the Isisi River, and the swift current had swept the Coh n of hi slowly, out of sight
So a eant of Houssas, and instantly the lo-koli beat sharply, and the head to the palaver house to meet the paramount chief of the Akasava
”Sandi is dead,” said the chief solemnly ”He was our father and our mother and carried us in his ars for him because of our love But now that he is dead, and there is none to say 'Yea' or 'Nay' to us, the time of which I have spoken to you secretly has coainst the God- of water, then against the chief of the Ochori, who for many years have put shame upon us”
”Master,” said a little chief froe which is near to the Ochori border, ”is it wise-our Lord Sandi having said there shall be no war?”
”Our Lord Sandi is dead,” said the parareatly concern us what he said; besides which,” he said, as a thought struck hi a me the head of the chief of the Ochori'”
No further ties danced the dance of killing, and the great fire of the Akasava burnt redly on the sandy beach to the erasses near by
In the grey of thethe Akasava chief mustered six hundred spears and three score of canoes, and he delivered his oration:
”First, ill destroy the ht that they should live and Sandi be dead; then ill go against Bosambo, the chief of the Ochori When rains caner and of no huhtvillages, and Sandi said there should be no killing Now Sandi is dead, and, I do not doubt, in hell, and there is none to hold our pride”
Round the bend of the river, ever so slowly, for she was breasting a strong and treacherous current, came the nose of the Zaire It is worthy of note that the little blue flag at her stern was not at half-nificance of this was lost on the Akasava Gingerly the little craft felt its way to the sandy strip of beach, a plank was thrust forth, and along it came, very dapper and white, his little ebony stick with the silver knob swinging between his fingers, Mr Coht Maxiway that covered the beach
A nation, paralysed by fear and apprehension, watched the debarque a little in advance of his painted warriors
On Sanders' face was a look of innocent surprise ”Chief,” said he, ”you domen to welco in their gardens”
He walked along one row of fighting men, plentifully besreat personage inspecting a guard of honour
”I perceive,” he went on, talking over his shoulder to the chief who, fascinated by the unexpected vision, followed hihting shi+eld of wicker work, and many have N'Gombi swords”
”Lord, it is true,” said the chief, recovering his wits, ”for we go hunting elephant in the Great Forest”
”Also that some have the little bones of men fastened about their necks-that is not for the elephant”
He said this ly, as he continued his inspection, and the chief was frankly embarrassed
”There is a rumour,” he stammered, ”it is said-there ca for war, and ere afraid--”
”Strange,” said Sanders, half to hie indeed is this story, for I have co but round corn and hunted peacefully; also their chief is ill, suffering from a fever”
He shook his head in well-simulated bewilderment