He gave a sharp order. Men stepped out from the cage and came behind him. He walked solemnly to the temple, where he chanted several prayers to the sun in a strong harsh voice. Then he turned to his servants rounded up the little company of prisoners, and brought them before the chief. He ran his strange eyes over them and then looked at his servants in surprise. It was quite plain that he thought someone was missing!
He asked a sharp question. The servants hurriedly counted the prisoners and then sent two of their number to search the summit of the mountain thoroughly.
“They’ve gone to find Ranni and Pilescu,” whispered Jack. “Well, they won’t find them here!”
And they didn’t, of course, though they hunted in every corner and cranny. Ranni and Pilescu had disappeared completely.
The chief was angry. His eyes flamed, and his mouth became hard and straight. He addressed his servants fiercely, and they flung themselves on their faces before him. No one but Mafumu could understand what he was saying, and even Mafumu could not understand everything!
The chief walked majestically over to the company of prisoners and looked into each one’s face. No one flinched except poor Mafumu, who was in a state of real terror, partly because he was afraid of the yellow-skinned chief and partly because he knew something that the others didn’t know!
The chief was choosing who was to be the servant of the sun! He glared into Jack’s face. He stared closely at poor Nora and Peggy. He took Paul’s chin in his hand and peered at him. Nobody liked it at all.
Mafumu was very sad. Whom would the chief choose? Somebody must be the sacrifice to the sun. And poor Mafumu would have to break the news, for no one else understood what the yellow-skinned chief was doing!
The Servant Of The Sun
The tall chief took hold of the little prince and called out some strange words to his followers. At once two men stepped forward and took the frightened boy. He did not know what they were going to do with him, but he was determined not to show that he was afraid.