Outside this fence stood another armed Mazitu, also on guard.
"Are we prisoners here ?" I asked of Babemba.
"The king watches over his guests," he answered enigmatically.

"Have the white lords any message for the king whom I am summoned to see this night ?" "Yes," I answered.

"Tell the king that we are the brethren of him who more than a year ago cut a swelling from his body, whom we have arranged to meet here.

I mean the white lord with a long beard who among you black people is called Dogeetah." Babemba started.

"You are the brethren of Dogeetah! How comes it then that you never mentioned his name before, and when is he going to meet you here?
Know that Dogeetah is a great man among us, for with him alone of all men the king has made blood-brotherhood.