There were two canoes ahead, and the locked shields that were turned to the king's canoe were bright with red n'gola—and red n'gola means war.
The king's headman reached for his spear half-heartedly. The girl's heart beat faster.
"Ho, Soka!"
Bosambo, standing in the stern of the canoe, spoke:
"Let no man touch his spear, or he dies!" said Bosambo.
"Lord, this is the king's canoe," spluttered Soka, wiping his streaming brow, "and you do a shameful thing, for there is peace in the land."
"So men say," said Bosambo evasively.
He brought his craft round so that it lay alongside the other.
"Lady," he said in his best coast-English, "you lib for go with me one time; I be good feller; I be big chap—no hurt 'um—no fight 'um."
The girl was sick with terror. For all she knew, and for all she could gather, this man was a cruel and wicked monster. She shrank back and screamed.