And now let all make offering, that we may be strong in battle.' The crowd dispersed, and nine men, wearing antelope-skins, grouped themselves in front of the opening in the hedge in the middle of the village.

And presently, one by one, the men brought all sorts of things--hippopotamus flesh, ostrich-feathers, the fruit of the date palms, red chalk, green chalk, fish from the river, and ibex from the mountains; and the headman received these gifts.

There was another hedge inside the first, about a yard from it, so that there was a lane inside between the hedges.

And every now and then one of the headmen would disappear along this lane with full hands and come back with hands empty.
'They're making offerings to their Amulet,' said Anthea.

'We'd better give something too.' The pockets of the party, hastily explored, yielded a piece of pink tape, a bit of sealing-wax, and part of the Waterbury watch that Robert had not been able to help taking to pieces at Christmas and had never had time to rearrange.