"All men are the enemies of the N'gombi," Bosambo quoted a river saying as old as the sun.
He listened again, then rose.
"You shall go back and gather me a village of spears, and bring them to the borderland near the road that crosses the river," he said.
"On my life," said the other.
Muchini, Chief of the Inner N'gombi, a most inflated man and a familiar of magical spirits, gathered his spears to some purpose, for two days later Bosambo met him by his border and the chiefs greeted one another between two small armies.
"Which way do you go, Muchini?" asked Bosambo.
Now, between Muchini and the Chief of the Ochori was a grievance dating back to the big war, when Bosambo had slain the N'gombi chief of the time with his own hands.
"I go to the river to call a palaver of all free men," said Muchini; "for I tell you this, Bosambo, that I have found a great magic which will make us greater than Sandi, and it has been prophesied that I shall be a king over a thousand times a thousand spears. For I have a small box which brings even M'shimba to my call."
Bosambo, a head and shoulders taller than the other, waved his hand towards the forest path which leads eventually to the Ochori city.
"Here is a fine moment for you, Muchini," he said, "and you shall try your great magic on me and upon my young men. For I say that you do not go by this way, neither you nor your warriors, since I am the servant of Sandi and of his King, and he has sent me here to keep his peace; go back to your village, for this is the way to Death."