Ofesi directed his gaze to the white prisoners.
"O white men," he said, "you see me now, a great lord, greater than any white man has ever been, for all the little chiefs of this land are dead, and all people say 'Wah, king,' to Ofesi."
"I dare say," said Coulson in English.
"To-night," the king went on, "we sacrifice you, for you are the last white men in this land—Sandi being dead."
"Ofesi, you lie!"
It was Bosambo, his face puckered with rage, his voice shrill.
"No man can kill Sandi," he cried, "for Sindi alone of all men is beyond death, and he will come to you bringing terror and worse than death!"
Ofesi made a gesture of contempt.
He waved his hand to the right and as at a signal the crowd moved back.
Bosambo held himself tense, expecting to see the lifeless form of his master. But it was something less harrowing he saw—a prosaic stack of wooden boxes six feet high and eight feet square.