He walked slowly, with his usual air of detachment from his surroundings, as if unaware that many sleepy eyes watched from all parts of the courtyard his progress towards a small gate at its upper end.

That gate gave access to a separate enclosure in which a rather large house, built of planks, had been prepared by Lakamba's orders for the reception of Omar and Aissa.

It was a superior kind of habitation which Lakamba intended for the dwelling of his chief adviser--whose abilities were worth that honour, he thought.

But after the consultation in the deserted clearing--when Babalatchi had disclosed his plan--they both had agreed that the new house should be used at first to shelter Omar and Aissa after they had been persuaded to leave the Rajah's place, or had been kidnapped from there--as the case might be.

Babalatchi did not mind in the least the putting off of his own occupation of the house of honour, because it had many advantages for the quiet working out of his plans.