these men, so there will not be a bloody battle."

"Stop," she cried as the first men came in sight. "Stop, I want to talk to
you."

The men stopped. The others soon came running up. They had to stop, too.

"You men are planning to do something bad. You do not know that the people
of this village did bad things to you. You only think they did. You have
drunk too much beer. You do not know what you are doing. Go home."

"But Ma," said Njiri, "they have made bad medicine against us. They made
witchcraft. They must be punished before we are hurt."

Njiri and his men argued with Mary, but finally they listened to her. They
turned around and once more started for home. Mary went with them to make
sure they would get there. At last they came again to the banana plant and
the witch medicine. They were afraid to pass it.

"If we pass it, we will get sick and die," said Njiri.

"That is sinful foolishness," said Mary. "That banana plant and those
other things will not hurt you. I am not afraid of them."

Mary picked up the banana plant, the palm leaves, nuts and coconut shell
and threw them into the jungle.

"Now, brave men, come on. I have cleared the path. Let us go to your
village."