下载辰思小说免费APP
Helookedatthefullmoonshininguponhimandreflectedthatatthisveryhourheshouldhavebeenseateduponthechairofstate，wedding，orratherbeingweddedbytheAsikainthepresenceofBigandLittleBonsaandallthepeople。HiseyefellupontheMungana，whohadalsobeendestinedtoplayaprominentpartinthatceremony。Atoncehesawthattherewassomethingwrongwiththeman。Acuriouschangehadcomeoverhisemaciatedface。Itwasworkinglikethatofamaniac。
Foamappeareduponhisdyedlips，hishauntedeyesrolled，histhinhandsgrippedthesideofthecanoeandhebegantosing，orratherhowllikeadogbayingatthestars。Jeekiehithimontheheadandbadehimbesilent，buthetooknonotice，evenwhenhehithimagainmoreheavily。Presentlycametheclimax。Themansprangupinthecanoe，causingittorockfromsidetoside。Hepointedtothefullmoonaboveandhowledmoreloudlythanbefore；hepointedtosomethingthatheseemedtoseeintheairnearbyandgibberedasthoughinterror。Thenhiseyesfixedthemselvesuponthewateratwhichhestared。
Harderandharderhestared，hisheadsinkinglowereverymoment，tillatlengthwithoutanothersound，veryquietlyandunexpectedlyhewentoverthesideoftheboat。Forafewsecondstheysawhisbright-
colouredgarmentssinkingtothedepths，thenhevanished。
Theywaitedawhile，expectingthathewouldriseagain。Butheneverrose。Ashot-weightedcorpsecouldnothavedisappearedmorefinallyandcompletely。Thethingwasveryawful，andforawhiletherewassilence，whichasusualwasbrokenbyJeekie。
“Thatgaydoggone，“hesaidinareflectivevoice。“Allthoseoldghostscometofetchhimatpropertime。Nogoodrunawayfromghosts；
theytraveltooquick；onejump，andpopupwhereyounoexpect。Well，moreplaceforJeekienow，“andhespreadhimselfoutcomfortablyintheemptyseat，adding，“likehello-swello’sroommuchbetterthancompany，hegoinscent-batheverydayandstinktoomuch，allthatwaterneverwash/him/clean。“
ThusdiedtheMungana，andsuchwasthepoorwretch’srequiem。WithashiverAlanreflectedthathaditnotbeenforhimandhisinsanejealousy，hetoomighthavebeenexpectedtogointothatsamescent-
bathandhavehisfacepaintedlikeachorusgirl。OnlywouldheescapethespellthathaddestroyedhispredecessorintheaffectionsofthepriestessoftheBonsas？OrwouldsomedimpowersuchashaddrawnMunganatothedeathdraghimbacktothearmsoftheAsikaortothetorturepitof“GreatSwimmingHead。“HerememberedhisdreamintheTreasureHallandshudderedattheverythoughtofit，forallhehadundergoneandseenmadehimsuperstitious；thenbadethemenpaddlefaster，everfaster。
Allthatnighttheyrowedon，takingturnstorest，exceptAlanandJeekie，whosleptagooddealandasaconsequenceawokeatdawnmuchrefreshed。Whenthesunrosetheyfoundthemselvesacrossthelagoon，overthirtymilesfromthebordersofAsiki-land，almostatthespotwheretheriverupwhichtheyhadtravelledsomemonthsbefore，flowedoutofthelake。WhetherbychanceorskillFahnihadsteeredawonderfullystraightcourse。Now，however，theywerefacetofacewithanewtrouble，forscarcelyhadtheybeguntodescendtheriverwhentheydiscoveredthatatthisdryseasonoftheyearitwasinmanyplacestooshallowtoallowthecanoetopassoverthesandandmudbanks。Evidentlytherewasbutonethingtobedone——abandonitandwalk。
Sotheylanded，atefromtheirstoreoffoodandbega
