brethren； the blessings of the Bonsas be on you； and may you grow fat
and prosper in the love and favour of our lady the Asika。〃
〃Farewell；〃 they murmured in answer。 〃Good fortune be your bedfellow。〃
Another minute and they had lifted up the litter and vanished at a
swinging trot into the shadow of the trees。 Jeekie returned to the
camp and ordered the three men to re…stop the gateway with thorns；
muttering in their ears：
〃Remember； brethren； one word of this and you die； all of you； as
those die who break the oath。〃
〃Have we not sworn？〃 they whispered； as they went back to their posts。
Jeekie stood a while in front of the empty tent and if any had been
there to note him； they might have seen a shadow as of compunction
creep over his powerful black face。
〃When he wake up he won't know where he are；〃 he reflected； 〃and when
he get to Bonsa…Town he'll wonder where he is； and when he meet Asika！
Well； he very big blackguard； try to murder Major； whom Jeekie nurse
as baby； the only thing that Jeekie care forexceptJeekie； try to
make love to Miss Barbara against will when he catch her alone in
forest； which not playing game。 Jeekie self not such big blackguard as
that dirt…born noble Lord； Jeekie never murder no onenot quite；
Jeekie never make love to girl what not want himno need； so many
what do that he have to shove them off； like good Christian man。 Mrs。
Jeekie see to that while she live。 Also better that mean white man go
call on Bonsas than Major and Missy Barbara and all porters； and
Jeekiespecially Jeekieget throat cut。 No； no； Jeekie nothing to be
ashamed of； Jeekie do good day's work； though Jeekie keep it tight as
wax since white folk such silly people； and when Major in a rage； he
very nasty customer and see everything upside down。 Now； Jeekie quite
tired； so say his prayers and have nap。 No； think not in tent； though
very comfortable。 Major might wake up； poke his nose in there； and if
he see black face instead of white one； ask ugly question； which if
Jeekie half asleep he no able to answer nice and neat。 Still he just
arrange things a little so they look all right。〃
CHAPTER XX
THE ASIKA'S MESSAGE
Dawn began to break in the forest and Alan woke in his shelter and
stretched himself。 He had slept soundly all the night； so soundly that
the innocent Jeekie wondered much whether by any chance he also had
taken a tot out of that particular whisky bottle； as indeed he had
recommended him to do。 People who drink whisky after long abstinence
from spirits are apt to sleep long； he reflected。
Alan crept out of the shelter and gazed affectionately at the tent in
which Barbara slumbered。 Thank Heaven she was safe so far； as for some
unknown reason； evidently the Asiki had postponed their attack。 Just
then a clamour arose in the air； and he perceived Jeekie striding
towards him waving one arm in an excited fashion； while with the other
he dragged along the captain of the porters； who appeared to be
praying for mercy。
〃Here pretty go； Major；〃 he shouted； 〃devil and all to pay！ That my
Lord； he gone and bolted。 This silly fool say that three hours ago he
hear something break through fence and think it only hy？na what come
to steal； so take no notice。 Well； that hy？na； you guess who he is。
You come look； Major； you come look； and then we tie this fellow up
and flog him。〃
Alan ran to Aylward's tent to find it empty。
〃Look；〃 said Jeekie； who had followed； 〃see how he do business； that
jolly clever hy？na；〃 and he pointed to a broken whisky bottle and some
severed cords。 〃You see he manage break bottle and rub rope against
cut glass till it come in two。 Then he do hy？na dodge and hook it。〃
Alan inspected the articles； nor did any shadow of doubt enter his
mind。
〃Certainly he managed very well；〃 he said； 〃especially for a London…
bred man； but； Jeekie； what can have been his object？〃
〃Oh！ who know； Major？ Mind of man very strange and various thing；
p'raps he no bear to see you and Miss Barbara together； p'raps he bolt
coast； get ear of local magistrate before you； p'raps he sit up tree
to shoot you； p'raps nasty temper make him mad。 But he gone any way；
and I hope he no meet Asiki； poor fellow； 'cause if so； who know？
P'raps they knock him on head； or if they think him you； they make him
prisoner and keep him quite long while before they let him go again。〃
〃Well；〃 said Alan； 〃he has gone of his own free will； so we have no
responsibility in the matter； and I can't pretend that I am sorry to
see the last of him； at any rate for the present。 Let that poor beggar
loose； there seems to have been enough flogging in this place； and
after all he isn't much to blame。〃
Jeekie obeyed； apparently with much reluctance； and just then they saw
one of their own people running towards the camp。
〃'Fraid he going to tell us Asiki come attack；〃 said Jeekie； shaking
his head。 〃Hope they give us time breakfast first。〃
〃No doubt；〃 answered Alan nervously； for he feared the result of that
attack。
Then the man arrived breathless and began to gasp out his news； which
filled Alan with delight and caused a look of utter amazement to
appear upon the broad face of Jeekie。 It was to the effect that he had
climbed a high tree as he had been bidden to do； and from the top of
that tree by the light of the first rays of the rising sun； miles away
on the plain beyond the forest； he had seen the Asiki army in full
retreat。
〃Thank God！〃 exclaimed Alan。
〃Yes； Major； but that very rum story。 Jeekie can't swallow it all at
once。 Must send out see none of them left behind。 P'raps they play
trick； but if they really gone； 'spose it 'cause guns frightens them
so much。 Always think powder very great 'vention； especially when
enemy hain't got none； and quite sure of it now。 Jeekie very； very
seldom wrong。 Soon believe；〃 he added with a burst of confidence；
〃that Jeekie never wrong at all。 He look for truth so long that at
last he find it /always/。〃
Something more than a month had gone by and Major and Mrs。 Vernon； the
latter fully restored to health and the most sweet and beautiful of
brides； stood upon the steamship /Benin/； and as the sun sank； looked
their last upon the coast of Western Africa。
〃Yes； dear；〃 Alan was saying to his wife； 〃from first to last it has
been a very queer story； but I really think that our getting that
Asiki gold after all was one of the queerest parts of it； also
uncommonly convenient； as things have turned out。〃
〃Namely that you have got a little pauper for a wife instead of a
great heiress； Alan。 But tell me again about the gold。 I have had so
much to think of during the last few days；〃 and she blushed； 〃that I
never quite took it all in。〃
〃Well； love； there isn't much to tell。 When that forwarding agent； Mr。
Aston； knew that we were in the town； he came to me and said that he
had about fifty cases full of something heavy； as he supposed samples
of ore； addressed to me to your care in England which he was proposing
to ship on by the /Benin/。 I answered 'Yes； that was all right；' and
did not undeceive him about their contents。 Then I asked how they had
arrived； and if he had not received a letter with them。 He replied
that one morning before the warehouse was open； some natives had
brought them down in a canoe； and dumped them at the door； telling the
watchman that they had been paid to deliver them there by some other
natives whom they met a long way up the river。 Then they went away
without leaving any letter or message。 Well； I thanked Aston and paid
his charges and there's an end of the matter。 Those fifty…three cases
are now in the hold invoiced as ore samples and； as I inspected them
myself and am sure that they have not been tampered with； besides the
value of the necklace the Asika gave me we've got ￡100；000 to begin
our married life upon with something over for old Jeekie； and I
daresay we shall do very well on that。〃
〃Yes； Alan； very well indeed。〃 Then she reflected a while； for the
mention of Jeekie's name seemed to have made her thoughtful； and
added； 〃Alan； what /do/ you think became of Lord Aylward？〃
〃I am sure I don't know。 Jeekie and I and some of the porters went to
see the Old Calabar officials and made affidavits as to the
circumstances of his disappearance。 We couldn't do any more； could
we？〃
〃No； Alan。 But do you think that Jeekie quite understands the meaning
of an oath？ I mean it seems so strange that we should never have found
the slightest trace of him； and； Alan； I don't know if you noticed it；
but why did Jeekie appear that morning wearing Lord Aylward's socks
and boots？〃
〃He ought to know all about oaths； he has heard enough of them in
Magistrates' Courts； but as regards the boots； I am sure I can't say；
dear；〃 answered Alan uneasily。 〃Here he comes； we will ask him；〃 and
he did。
〃Sock and boot；〃 replied Jeekie； with a surprised air； 〃why； Mrs。
Major； if that good lord go mad and cut off into forest leaving them
behind； of course I put them on； as they no more use to him； and I
just burn my dirty old Asiki dress and sandal and got nothing to keep
jigger out of toe。 Don't you sit up here in this damp； cold； Mrs。
Major； else you get more fever。 You go down and dress dinner； which at
half…past six to…night。 I just come tell you that。〃
So Barbara went； leaving the other two talking about various matters；
for they were alone together on the deck； all the passengers； of whom
there were but few； having gone below。
The short African twilight had come； a kind of soft blue haze that
made the ship look mysterious and unnatural。 By degrees their
conversation died away。 They lapsed into a silence； which Alan was the
first to break。
〃What are you thinking of； Jeekie？〃 he asked nervously。
〃Thinking of Asika； Major；〃 he answered in a scared whisper。 〃Seem to
me that she about somewhere； just as she use pop up in room in Gold
House； seem to me I feel her all down my back； likewise in head wool；
which stand up。〃
〃It's very odd； Jeekie；〃 replied Alan； 〃but so do I。〃
〃Well； Major； 'spect she thinking of us； specially of you； and just
throw what she think at us； like boy throw stones at bird what fly
away out of cage。