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Bosambo was in the dark street instanter, his booming war-drum calling urgently. Twenty canoes filled with fighting men, paddling desperately with the stream, raced to the aid of the defenceless Akasava. At dawn, on the beach of the city, N'gori met his ally.
For men may come and there will be other palavers and perhaps fighting?" "That I have thought of," said Bosambo, "and so I will raise a village of my own people on this island, and put a guard of a hundred men all this I will do because I love you both the palaver is finished."
"Bury all these men," said Hamilton, and spent a beastly night in the forest. So passed Bemebibi, and his people gave him up to the ghosts, him and his highmen. There were other problems less tragic, to be dealt with, a Bosambo rather grieved than sulking, a haughty N'gori to be kicked to a sense of his unimportance, chiefs, major and minor, to be brought into a condition of penitence.
"They are men and women," said Bosambo after a pause. "White or black?" asked Bones, eagerly. Bosambo thought a little. "White," he said soberly, and was immensely pleased at the impression he created. "I thought so," said Bones, excitedly, and jumped up, his eyes wider than ever, his hands trembling as he pulled his note-book from his breast pocket.
Happily, Bones continued the conversation in the tongue of the land. Then he learned of the dance which Bosambo had frustrated, of the spears taken, and these he saw stacked in three huts.
Bosambo received an envoy from the Chief of the Akasava, and the envoy brought with him presents of dubious value and a message to the effect that N'gori spent much of his waking moments in wondering how he might best serve his brother Bosambo, "The right arm on which I and my people lean and the bright eyes through which I see beauty."
So Bosambo had passed down the river as has been described, and four days after he left there disappeared from the Ochori village ten brothers in blood of his, young hunting men who had faced all forms of death for the very love of it, and these vanished from the land and none knew where they went save that they did not follow on their master's trail.
"On the river," Bosambo went on, "I met many canoes that went to a killing behold!" It was the head of M'fosa's lieutenant, who had charge of the surprise party. For a moment M'fosa looked, then turned to leap, and Bosambo's spear caught him in mid-air. "Jolly old Bosambo!" muttered Bones, and fainted. Four thousand miles away Sanders was offering his apologies to a startled company.
He watched them as, singing the song of the well, they went to work, women, men, and even little children undermining the Chief B'limisaka's territory and creating for Bosambo the right of way for which his soul craved. Cala cala, as they say, seven brothers lived near the creek of the Green One.
"Lord, everything was proper," said the sergeant, "and all people came to palaver humbly." "What seek you now?" asked Hamilton. "Lord," said Mahomet, "Bosambo of the Ochori is, as you know, of my faith, and by certain oaths we are as blood brothers. This happened after a battle in the year of Drought when Bosambo saved my life." "All this I know," said Hamilton.
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