Then the other man craned his neck forward and spoke eagerly.
The sun came up and flushed the world rosy; but still he sat talking with great force, Imgani listening.
"So, master," he concluded, "we will kill Sandi when he comes to palaver. Ifiba, M'bwka, and a cousin of my mother's, will put spears into him very quickly, and we shall be a great people."
Imgani nodded his head wisely.
"That is true," he said, "people who kill white men must be greatly honoured, because all the other nations will say: 'Behold, these are the people who kill white men!'"
"And when he is dead," the messenger went on, "many young men will go to the boat that smokes and slay all who are with him."
"That is wise also," said Imgani; "when I kill white men I also kill their friends."
He discussed his deeds to some length and with great detail. After the man had gone, Imgani made a meal of fish and manioc, polished the steel blades of his spears with wet sand, dried them carefully with grass, and laid himself down in the shade of the hut to sleep.
He was awake in the early part of the afternoon, and went plunging into the river, swimming far towards the middle stream with great, strong strokes.
Then he swam back to shore, let the sun dry him, and dressed himself in his leopard skin.