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“Don’tknowanddon’tcare，“saidJeekie；“nomoregoodtous。CangoandseehowBigBonsafeel，ifhelike，“andstretchingouthisbighandasthoughinamomentofabstraction，heremovedthecostlynecklacesfromtheirguide’sneckandthrustthemintothepouchhewore。AlsohepickedupthegildedlinenmaskwhichAlanhadremovedfromhisheadandplaceditinthesamereceptacle，remarking，thathe“alwaystaughtthatitwickedtowasteanythingwhensomanypoorintheworld。“
Thentheystarted，theMunganafollowingthem。Jeekiepausedandwavedhimoff，butthepoorwretchstillcameon，whereonJeekieproducedthebig，crookedknife，Mungana’sownknife。
“Whatareyougoingtodo，“saidAlan，awakingtothesituation。
“Cutoffheadofthatcocktailman，Major，andsosavehimlotoftrouble。Alsowegotnogrub，andifwefindanyhewanteatalot。
Chopwhatdofortwop’raps，makeveryshortcommonsforthree。Alsohemightplaydirtytrick，somuchbestdead。“
“Nonsense，“saidAlansternly；“letthepoordevilcomealongifhelikes。Onegoodturndeservesanother。“
“Justso，Major；thathello-swellowantcutourthroats，soIwantcuthis——onegoodturndeserveanother，aswisekingsayinBook，whenhegivehalfbabytowomanwhatwouldn’thaveit。Well，sobe，Major，speciallyasitnomatter，forhenotstopwithuslong。“
“Youmeanthathewillrunaway，Jeekie？“
“Oh！no，henotrunaway，heintoobluefunkforthat。Butsomethingrunawaywithhim，becauseheoughtdieto-morrownight。Oh！yes，yousee，yousee，andJeekiehopethatsomethingnotrunawaywithyoutoo，Major，becauseyououghtbemarriedatsametime。“
“Hopenot，Iamsure，“answeredAlan，andbethinkinghimofBigBonsawallowingandscreamingonthewaterandbleedingoutwhiteblood，heshiveredalittle。
Bythistime，advancingatatrot，theMunganarunningafterthemlikeadog，theyhadenteredthebushpiercedwithafewwanderingpaths。
Alongthesepathstheyspedforhourafterhour，Jeekieleadingthemwithoutamoment’shesitation。Theymetnomanandheardnothing，exceptoccasionalweirdsoundswhichAlanputdowntowildbeasts，butJeekieandtheMunganasaidwereproducedbyghosts。Indeeditappearedthatallthisjunglewassupposedtobehaunted，andnoAsikiwouldenteritatnight，orunlesshewereveryboldandprotectedbymanycharms，bydayeither。Thereforeitwasanexcellentplaceforfugitiveswhosorelyneededagoodstart。
Atlengththedaybegantodawnjustastheyreachedthemainroadwhereitcrossedthehills，whenceonhisjourneythitherAlanhadhisfirstviewofBonsaTown。Peeringfromtheedgeofthebush，theyperceivedafireburningneartheroadandrounditfiveorsixmen，whoseemedtobeasleep。Theirfirstthoughtwastoavoidthem，buttheMungana，creepinguptoAlan，forJeekiehewouldnotapproach，whispered:
“NotAsiki，OgulachiefandslaveswholeftBonsaTownyesterday。“
Theycreptnearerthefireandsawthatthiswasso。Thenrejoicingexceedingly，theyawoketheoldchief，Fahni，whoatfirstthoughttheymustbespirits。ButwhenherecognizedAlan，heflunghimselfonhiskneesandkissedhishand，becausetohimheowedhisliberty。
“Notimeforallthat，Fahni，“saidAlan。“Giveusfood。“
Nowofthisasitchancedtherewasplenty，sincebytheAsika’sorderstheslaveshadbeenladenwithasmuchastheycouldcarry。
Theyateofitravenously，andwhiletheyate，toldFahnisomethingofthestoryoftheirescape。Theoldchieflistenedamazed，butlikeJeekieaskedAlanwhyhehadnotkilledtheMungana，whowouldhavekilled
