Okoya walked along at a steady gait; but Shyuote, as soon as he considered the distance safe enough, turned around, making grimaces at the belligerent damsels, vowing vengeance, and uttering opprobrious epithets of the choicest kind.

He noticed that the two returned his compliments without reserve, whereas Mitsha stood in silence leaning against the house-wall.

One single look, one earnest almost sad glance, she sent after the disappearing form of Shyuote's elder brother.
The main building was now close at hand.

It was an irregular pentagon, and at places two, at others three stories high.

With one single exception these stories formed terraces, retreating successively from the ground to the top like so many steps of a staircase.