“Jeekie，“hesaid，“youareagreatrascal——“
　　“Yes，yes，“interruptedJeekie，“greatrascal。Bestthingtobeinthisworld，Major。HonourableSirRobert，Bart。，M。P。，andMr。
　　Champers-Haswell，D。L。，J。P。，theyfindthatoutlongagoandsitontopoftreeofopulentrenown。JeekiegreatrascalandthereforehaveSavingsBankaccount——goon，Major。“
　　“Well，Jeekie，becauseifyouarearascalyouarekind-heartedandbecauseIbelievethatyoucareforme——“
　　“Oh！Major，“brokeinJeekieagain，“thatmost’utterablytrue。HonourbrightIloveyou，Major，betterthananyoneonearth，exceptmylateoldwoman，nowhappilydead，goneandforgotteninbestoakcoffin，￡4
　　10withoutfittingsbutpolished，andperhapsyourholyuncle，ReverendMr。Austin，alsocoffinedanddeparted，whosavedmefromearlyextinctioninadarkplace。Major，Inolikegraves，Iseetoomuchofthem，andcan’ttellwhatlieonotherside。Thougheveryonesaytheyknow，Jeekienotquitesure。Maybealllightandcrownsofglory，maybedampblackholeandnowayout。Butthisatleasttrue，thatIloveyoubetter，yes，betterthanMissBarbara，forloveofwomanverypoor，uncertainthing，quickcome，quickgo。Jeekiefindthatout——often。Yes，ifneedbe，thoughdeathmostnasty，ifneedbeIsayIdieforyou，whichgreatunpleasantsacrifice，“andJeekieinthegenuineenthusiasmofhiswarmheart，throwinghimselfuponhiskneesaftertheAfricanfashion，seizedhismaster’shandandkissedit。
　　“Thanks，Jeekie，“saidAlan，“verykindofyou，Iamsure。Butwehaven’tcometothatyet，thoughnooneknowswhatmayhappenlateron。Nowsituponthatchairandtakealittlewhisky——nottoomuch——
　　forIamgoingtoaskyouradvice。“
　　“Major，“saidJeekie，“Iobey，“andseizingthewhiskybottleinacasualmanner，hepouredouthalfatumblerfull，forJeekiewasfondofwhisky。Indeedbeforenowthistastehadbroughthimintoconflictwiththelocalmagistrates。
　　“Putbackthreepartsofthat，“saidAlan，andJeekiedidso。“Now，“
　　hewenton，“listen:thisisthecase，MissBarbaraandIare——“andhehesitated。
　　“Oh！Iknow；likemeandMrs。Jeekieonce，“saidJeekie，gulpingdownsomeoftheneatwhisky。“Goon，Major。“
　　“AndSirRobertAylwardis——“
　　“Samething，Major。Continue。“
　　“AndMr。Haswellhas——“
　　“Thosefactsallascertained，Major，“saidJeekie，contemplatinghisglasswithamournfuleye。“Nowcometothepoint，Major。“
　　“Well，thepointis，Jeekie，thatIamwhatyoucalledjustnowcashless，andtherefore——“
　　“Therefore，“interruptedJeekieagain，“stickfastinhonourableintentiontowardsMissBarbaraowingtoobstinateoppositionofMr。
　　Haswell，legalunclewithcontrolofpropertyfomentedbynobleSirRobertwhodesiresamegirl。“
　　“Quiteright，Jeekie，butifyouwouldtalkalittlelessandletmetalkalittlemore，wemightgetonbetter。“
　　“Ihenceforthsilent，Major，“andliftinghisemptytumblerJeekielookedthroughitasifitwereatelescope，ahintthatAlanignored。
　　“Jeekie，youinfernaloldfool，Iwantmoney。“
　　“Yes，Major，Iunderstand，Major。Forgivemeforbreakingconspiracyofsilence，butif￡500inSavingsBankanyuse，verymuchatyourservice，Major；also￡20moreextractedlastnightfromterrorofwealthyJewwhofearfetish。“
　　“Jeekie，youolddonkey，Idon’twantyour￡500；Iwantagreatdealmore，￡50，000or￡500，000。Tellmehowtogetit。“
　　“Citybestplace，Major。ButyouchuckCity，toomuchhonestman，greatmistaketobehonestinthisterrestrialsphere。OftennoticethatinWestAfrica。“
　　“Perhaps，Jeekie，butIhavedonewiththeCity。Asyouwouldsay，formeitis’wipeout，finish。’“
　　“Yes，Major，toomuchpickpocket，toomuchdirt。Bottomalwaysdropoutofbucketshopatlast。Iunderstand，endinpolicecourtandseveremagistrate，orperhapseven’GentlemenofJury’；etcetera。“
　　“Well，Jeekie，thenwhatremains？Nowlastnightwhenyoutoldusthatamazingyarnofyours，yousaidsomethingaboutamountainfullofgold，andhousesfullofgold，amongyourpeople。Jeekie，doyouthink——“andhepaused，lookingathim。
　　Jeekierolledhisblackeyesroundtheroomandinafitofabsentmindednesshelpedhimselftosomemorewhisky。
　　“DoIthink，Major，thatthisuselesslucrecouldbeconvertedintocoinofgraciousKingEdward？Notatall，Major，bynoone，Major，bynoonewhatsoever，exceptpossiblybyMajorAlanVernon，D。S。O。，andbyone，Jeekie，ChristiansurnameSmith。“
　　“Proceed，Jeekie，“saidAlan，removingthewhiskybottle，“proceedandexplain。“
　　“Major，thus:TheAsikitribecarenothingaboutallthatgold，itnogoodtothem。Deadpeoplewholivelong，longago，nooneknowwhen，digitupandstoreitthereandmakethegreatfetishwhichtheycallBonsatokeepawayenemywhowanttosteal。Alsooldcustomwhenanyoneincountryroundfindbignugget，orprettystone，likeladieswearonbosom，tobringitasofferingtoBonsa，sothattherenowgreatplentyofallthisstuff。ButnooneuseitforanythingexcepttosetonwallsofhouseofAsiki，ortomakebasin，stool，tableandpottocookwith。OnceArabcomethereandIseethepriestsgivehimweightingoldforironhoe，thoughafterwardstheymurderhim，notforthegold，butlesthegoawayandtelltheirsecret。“
　　“Onemighttradewiththemthen，Jeekie？“
　　Heshookhiswhiteheaddoubtfully。
　　“Yes，perhaps，ifyoucanfindanythingtheywantbuyandcancarryitthere。ButIthinkthereonlyonethingtheywant，andyougotthat，Major。“
　　“I，Jeekie！WhathaveIgot？“
　　Thenegroleantforwardandtappedhismasterontheknee，sayinginaportentouswhisper:
　　“YougotLittleBonsa，whichmuchmoreholythananything，eventhanBigBonsaherhusband，Imeangreater，morepowerfuldevil。ThatLittleBonsasitinfrontroomAsika’shouse，andwhenshewantseethings，sheputitinbigbasinofgold，butInotellyouwhatitfloatin。AlsoonceortwiceeveryyeartheytakeoutLittleBonsa；
　　Asikawearitonheadasmask，andwhoevertheymeettheykillasofferingtoLittleBonsa，sothatspiritcomebacktoworldtobepriestofBonsa。Itellyou，Major，thatYellowGodseemanythousandofpeopledie。“
　　“Indeed，“saidAlan。“Apleasingfetishtruly。IshouldthinkthattheAsikimustbegladitisgone。“
　　“No，notglad，verysorry。NoluckforthemwhenLittleBonsagoaway，butplentyluckforthosewhogother。ThatwhyfirmAylward&Haswellmakesomuchmoneywhenyoujointhemandbringhertooffice。Shedropgreenineyeofpublicsotheynosmellrat。Thatwhyyousolucky，notdieofblackwaterfeverwhenyoushould；getsafeoutofdenofthievesinCitywithgoodname；winloveofsweetmaiden，MissBarbara。LittleBonsadoallthosethingsforyou，andbyandbydoplentymore，asLittleBonsabringmyoldmaster，yourholyuncle，safeoutofthatcountrybecausealltheAsikirunawaywhentheyseehimwearheronhead，fortheythinkshecomesacrificethemaftersheeatupmylife。“
　　“Idon’twonderthattheyran，“saidAlan，laughing，forthevisionofamissionarywithLittleBonsaonhisheadcaughthisfancy。“Butcometothepoint，youoldheathen。WhatdoyoumeanthatIshoulddo？“
　　“Jeekienotheathennow，Major，butplentyotherthingstrueinthisworld，besidesChristianreligion。Inowantyoudoanything，butI
　　saythis——yougobacktoAsikiwearingLittleBonsaonheadanddressedlikeReverendunclewhomyouverylike，forhejustyouragethenthirtyyearsago，andtheygiveyouallthegoldyouwant，ifyougivethembackLittleBonsawhomtheyloveandworshipforeverandever，forLittleBonsavery，veryold。“
　　AlansatupinhischairandstaredatJeekie，whileJeekienoddedhisheadathim。
　　“Thereissomethinginit，“hesaidslowly，speakingmoretohimselfthantothenegro，“andperhapsthatiswhyIwouldnotsellthefetish，forasyousay，thereareplentyoftruethingsintheworldbesidesthosewhichwebelieve。But，Jeekie，howshouldIfindtheway？“
　　“Notrouble，Major，LittleBonsafindway，wanttogetbackhome，veryhungrybynow，muchneedsacrifice。ThinkitgoodthingkillpigtoLittleBonsa——orevenlamb。Sheknowyoudoyourbest，sincehumanbeingnottobecomeatinChristianland，andsay’thankyouforlifeofpig。’“
　　“Stopthatrubbish，“saidAlan。“Iwantaguide；ifIgo，willyoucomewithme？“
　　Atthissuggestionthenegrolookedexceedinglyuncomfortable。
　　“Notliketo，notliketoatall，“hesaid，rollinghiseyes。“Asiki-
　　landveryfunnyplacefornative-born。But，“headdedsadly，“ifyougoJeekiemust，forIservantofLittleBonsaandifIstaybehind，sheangryandkillmebecauseInotattendherwhereshewalk。ButperhapsifIgoandtakehertoGoldHouseagain，shepleasedandletmeoff。AlsoIablehelpyouthere。Yes，ifyouandLittleBonsago，thinkIgotoo。“
　　AfterthisannouncementJeekieroseandwalkeddowntheroom，carryingthecoldmuttoninhishand。Thenhereturned，replaceditonthetableandstandinginfrontofAlan，saidearnestly:
　　“Major，Itellyoualltruth，justthisonce。Jeekiebelievehe/got/