Bones / Being Further Adventures in Mr. Commissioner Sanders' Country

Hamilton, coming to the Isisi city on his way up the river, found a crowd on the beach to watch his mooring, their arms folded hugging their sides-su

ng at his side, four Houssas padding swiftly in his rear at their curious jog-trot. B'sano, the young chief of the Isisi, came out lazily from his hut and stood with outs

hed spears and their wicker-work shields, contra

hat ready smile of his, "I waite

ng of these people and answerable to none save m

manner of law Sandi has left behind, I fine you and your city ten thousand matakos that you sha

contempt came to

he, "I do not

fear. The long barrel of Hamilton's rev

sergeant in Arabic. "Here in the centre of the city we

ich the Houssa sergeant had kindled, and as they dropped them, the serge

Hamilton, as the men were led to the Zaire. "See

e chief humbly,

e scores to adjust, misunderstandings to remove. Mostly these misunderstandings had to do with i

d by trembling men, each afraid of the other despite their oaths; and the f

f dreams and for the men who saw porten

tall nor commanding by any standard. He had broad shoulders and a short neck. His head was round, and his eyes were cunning and

h any certainty or authority, for Bemebibi was chief, alike of a community and an order. In the Lesser Isi

ed joyfully, for there is little difference in the temperament of youth,

ale population of the Lesser Isisi, had sworn b

t for a spear's length

ghosts and speak

to throw spears swiftly for

They came to a secret place at a pool, and squatted in a circle, each m

entionally. "Ghosts dwell by water and all

him, moving their heads

is gone and M'ilitini is by the place where the three rivers meet, and he has come in fear. Also by magic I have learnt

ide after the manner of orators. His voice grew thick

gone, and only a little, thin man punishes in fea

lf-witted youth, named Ko'so, grinning and mumbling and content till the curved N'gom

wenty Houssas. Bemebibi saw the end and was content

bi lunged at him with his stabbing spear, and Hamilton caught the poisoned spearhead on t

d Hamilton, and spent a b

people gave him up to the

rieved than sulking, a haughty N'gori to be kicked to a sense of his unimpo

ustration was apt, for it seemed that the Zaire would poise, buzzing angrily, then dart off in unexpected directions, and the spirit of complacenc

canoe to his second-in-c

ves I shall be able to show him a law-abiding country. I have missed you, Bones, but had you been near on more occasion than one, I should not have missed you. Bones, were you ever kicked as a boy? Did any good fe

e discipline of my Houssas-lest you are handing round tea and cake to the Alis and Ahmets and Mustaphas of my soldiers; lest you a

d Bones, as he

d six more of instruction. Bones was in the forest when th

eing peculiarly within the province of the boy scouts and wholly beneath the dignity of an officer of the Houssas. And he felt horribly guilty as he read

is face-an expression intended by Bones to represent a stern, unbending devotion to duty, he stepped forth from hi