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He does not need askaris to guard him in this country. And where can he get potio for so many?" "Hullo!" cried Kingozi, surprised. "This is not porter's talk; this is headman's talk!" "In my own country I am headman of many people," replied Mali-ya-bwana with a flash of pride. "Yet you carry my tent load." But Mali-ya-bwana made no reply, fixing his fierce eyes on the distant crawling safari.
As a matter of fact, Kingozi knew that he had done everything possible. If Simba & Co. succeeded, then there was no immediate hurry; if they failed, hurry would be useless. Bibi-ya-chui noticed the absence of two such prominent members of the safari as Simba and Mali-ya-bwana, of course, but readily accepted Kingozi's explanation that he had sent them "as messengers."
With the riches thus unexpectedly placed at his disposal, and legitimately his by the fortunes of war, Kingozi was enabled to proceed to the final grand exchange of gifts that assured his friendship with M'tela and sealed the alliance. He was spurred to his best efforts in this by the news, brought in by an alarmed Mali-ya-bwana, that Winkleman had escaped.
There remain now nine days to wait until we must bring this m'zungu to Bwana Kingozi at the manyatta of M'tela." "It is indeed great magic," agreed Mali-ya-bwana. "How many days is the manyatta?" "I do not know. These shenzis should know; but they talk only monkey talk. Here, let us try." He drew one of the prisoners one side. "M'tela," he enunciated slowly.
"Cazi Moto is back there in the Thirst," suggested Kingozi, "and many others. And there is no water." "I will go, bwana, and take the shenzis with me." He set about gathering the water bottles and gourds that had not been emptied. Mali-ya-bwana and, unexpectedly, a big Kavirondo of Kingozi's safari, volunteered. The rest prepared to continue the journey. But another delay occurred.
He turned to exchange guns with Mali-ya-bwana. "N'dio, bwana," assented the latter to a speech of which he understood not one word. Mali-ya-bwana was secretly a little proud of himself for having stuck like a gun bearer, instead of shinning up a thorn tree like a porter. Kingozi slipped a cartridge into the rifle, and the two resumed their walk toward the kopje.
He began to flatter Mali-ya-bwana; to fraternize just enough; to assume complete resignation to his plight in short, to use just those tactics a clever man would use to lull the alertness of any bright child. Naturally he succeeded. At sundown of the second day he began to complain of the irksomeness of his bonds. "This is foolishness, so to treat a m'zungu," said he. "Nothing is gained.
I was wondering! So he has captured you, too, has he!" With a simple and unembarrassed gesture she laid her arm across Kingozi's shoulders. "But yes," she repeated softly. "He has captured me, too." At the tiny fire burning before the tent reserved for the headmen of the camp sat Simba, Cazi Moto, and Mali-ya-bwana. The bone of the saurian lay before Simba, who was bragging.
A big Monumwezi unstrapped a canvas chair, unfolded it, and placed it near his master. The other loads were arranged here, in a certain long-ordained order; the meat piled there. Several men then went to the assistance of Mali-ya-bwana, the tent bearer; and the others methodically took up various tasks.
Their pleasure was short lived; for they were promptly seized, disarmed, and tied together. The grieved astonishment of their expressions almost immediately faded into fatalistic stolidity. So many things happen in Africa! Mali-ya-bwana and one of the other men proceeded rapidly ahead on the general line of march. The rest paralleled the safari below.
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