下载辰思小说免费APP
“Oh！“shesaid，“Ineverheardofwriting。Youshallteachitme。Itwillservetopassthetimetillwearemarried，thoughitwillnotbeofmuchuseafterwards，asweshallneverbeseparatedanymoreandwordsarebetterthanmarksuponaboard。But，“sheaddedcheerfully，“Icansendawaythisblackdogofyours，“andshelookedatJeekie，“andhecanwritetous。No，Icannot，foranaccidentmighthappentohim，andtheytellmeyousaythatifhedies，youdiealso，sohemuststopherealways。Whathaveyouinthoselittleboxes？“
“Thegoldyougaveme，Asika，packedinloads。“
“Asmallgiftenough，“sheansweredcontemptuously；“wouldyounotlikemore，sinceyouvaluethatstuff？Well，anothertimeyoushallsendallyouwant。Meanwhiletheportersarewaiting，fiftymenandthree，asyousentmeword，andtenspareonestotaketheplaceofanywhodie。Buthowtheywillfindtheirway，Iknownot，sincenoneofthemhaveeverbeentothecoast。“
AnideaoccurredtoAlan，whohadsmallfaithinJeekie’s“ma“asamessenger。
“TheOgulaprisonerscouldshowthem，“hesaid；“atanyrateasfarastheforest，andafterthattheycouldfindout。Maytheynotgo，Asika？“
“Ifyouwill，“sheansweredcarelessly。“Letthembereadytostartto-morrowatthedawn，allexcepttheirchief，Fahni，whomuststophereasahostage。IdonottrustthoseOgula，whomorethanoncehavethreatenedtomakewaruponus，“sheadded，thenturnedandbadethepriestsbringinthebearerstoreceivetheirinstructions。
Presentlytheycame，pickedmenallofthem，underthecommandofanAsikicaptain，andwiththemtheOgula，whomshesummonedalso。
“Gowherethewhitelordsendsyou，“shesaidinanindifferentvoice，“carryingwithyouthesepackages。Idonotknowwhereitis，buttheseman-eaterswillshowyousomeoftheway，andifyoufailinthebusinessbutlivetocomebackagain，youshallbesacrificedtoBonsaatthenextfeast；ifyourunawaythenyourwivesandchildrenwillbesacrificed。Foodshallbegivenyouforyourjourney，andgoldtobuymorewhenitisgone。Now，Vernoon，tellthemwhattheyhavetodo。“
SoAlan，orratherJeekie，toldthem，andthesedirectionsweresolongandminute，thatbeforetheywerefinishedtheAsikagrewtiredoflisteningandwentaway，sayingasshepassedthecaptainofthecompany:
“Remembermywords，man，succeedordie，butofyourlandanditssecretssaynothing。“
“Ihear，“answeredthecaptain，prostratinghimself。
ThatnightAlansummonedtheOgulaandspoketothemthroughJeekieintheirownlanguage。Atfirsttheydeclaredthattheywouldnotleavetheirchief，preferringtostayanddiewithhim。
“Notso，“saidFahni；“go，mychildren，thatImaylive。Goandgatherthetribe，allthethousandsofthemwhoaremenandcanfight，andbringthemuptoattackAsiki-land，torescuemeifIstilllive，ortoavengemeifIamdead。Asforthesebearers，dothemnoharm，butsendthemontothecoastwiththewhiteman’sgoods。“
SointheendtheOgulasaidthattheywouldgo，andwhenAlanwokeuponthefollowingmorning，hewasinformedthattheyandtheAsikiportershadalreadydepartedupontheirjourney。Thenhedismissedthematterfromhismind，fortotellthetruthheneverexpectedtohearoftheman
