"Oh! yes, yes," said Fahni; "I will do anything she likes. No one shall
be so rich and honoured in my country, and for her sake we will never
eat another old woman, whereas if she stays here she will be driven to
the mountains to starve in a week."

"Set out the matter," said the mother of Jeekie, who was by no means so
foolish as she seemed.

So they told her what she must do, namely, travel down to the Ogula and
tell them of the plight of their chief, bidding them muster all their
fighting men and when the swamps were dry enough, advance as near as
they dared to the Asiki country and, if they could not attack it, wait
till they had further news.

The end of it was that the mother of Jeekie, who knew her case to be
desperate at home, where she was in no good repute, promised to attempt
the journey in consideration of advantages to be received. Since she
was to be turned adrift to meet her fate with as much food as she could
carry, this she could do without exciting any suspicion, for who would
trouble about the movements of a useless old thief? Meanwhile Jeekie
gave her one of the robes which the Asika had provided for Alan, also
various articles which she desired and, having learned Fahni's message
by heart and announced that she considered herself his affianced bride,
the gaunt old creature departed happy enough after exchanging embraces
with her long lost son.

"She will tell somebody all about it and we shall only get our throats
cut," said Alan wearily, for the whole thing seemed to him a foolish
farce.