daresayweshalldoverywellonthat。“
“Yes，Alan，verywellindeed。“Thenshereflectedawhile，forthementionofJeekie’snameseemedtohavemadeherthoughtful，andadded，“Alan，what/do/youthinkbecameofLordAylward？“
“IamsureIdon’tknow。JeekieandIandsomeoftheporterswenttoseetheOldCalabarofficialsandmadeaffidavitsastothecircumstancesofhisdisappearance。Wecouldn’tdoanymore，couldwe？“
“No，Alan。ButdoyouthinkthatJeekiequiteunderstandsthemeaningofanoath？Imeanitseemssostrangethatweshouldneverhavefoundtheslightesttraceofhim，and，Alan，Idon’tknowifyounoticedit，butwhydidJeekieappearthatmorningwearingLordAylward’ssocksandboots？“
“Heoughttoknowallaboutoaths，hehasheardenoughoftheminMagistrates’Courts，butasregardstheboots，IamsureIcan’tsay，dear，“answeredAlanuneasily。“Herehecomes，wewillaskhim，“andhedid。
“Sockandboot，“repliedJeekie，withasurprisedair，“why，Mrs。
Major，ifthatgoodlordgomadandcutoffintoforestleavingthembehind，ofcourseIputthemon，astheynomoreusetohim，andI
justburnmydirtyoldAsikidressandsandalandgotnothingtokeepjiggeroutoftoe。Don’tyousituphereinthisdamp，cold，Mrs。
Major，elseyougetmorefever。Yougodownanddressdinner，whichathalf-pastsixto-night。Ijustcometellyouthat。“
SoBarbarawent，leavingtheothertwotalkingaboutvariousmatters，fortheywerealonetogetheronthedeck，allthepassengers，ofwhomtherewerebutfew，havinggonebelow。
TheshortAfricantwilighthadcome，akindofsoftbluehazethatmadetheshiplookmysteriousandunnatural。Bydegreestheirconversationdiedaway。Theylapsedintoasilence，whichAlanwasthefirsttobreak。
“Whatareyouthinkingof，Jeekie？“heaskednervously。
“ThinkingofAsika，Major，“heansweredinascaredwhisper。“Seemtomethatsheaboutsomewhere，justassheusepopupinroominGoldHouse；seemtomeIfeelheralldownmyback，likewiseinheadwool，whichstandup。“
“It’sveryodd，Jeekie，“repliedAlan，“butsodoI。“
“Well，Major，’spectshethinkingofus，speciallyofyou，andjustthrowwhatshethinkatus，likeboythrowstonesatbirdwhatflyawayoutofcage。Asikadoallthat，youknow，shenotquitehuman，fullofplentyBonsadevil，fromgen’rationtogen’rations，amen！
P’rapsshejustfindoutsomethingwhatmakehermad。“
“Whatcouldshefindoutafterallthistime，Jeekie？“
“Oh，don’tknow。HowIknow？Jeekiecan’tguess。FindoutyoumarryMissBarbara，p’raps。Verysickthatsheloseyouforthistime，p’raps。Killherselfthatshekeepnearyou，p’raps，whileshewaittillyoucomeroundagain，p’raps。Asikacandoallthesethingsifshelike，Major。“
“Stuffandrubbish，“answeredAlanuneasily，forJeekie’ssuggestionsweremostuncomfortable，“IbelieveinnoneofyourWestCoastsuperstitions。“
“Quiteright，Major，nordon’tI。Onlyyou’member，Major，whatsheshowusthereinTreasure-place——Mr。Haswellbeingburied，eh？MissBarbaraintent，eh？t’otherjobwhathasn’tcomeoffyet，eh？Oh！mygolly！Major，justyoulookbehindyouandsayyouseenothing，please，“andtheeyesofJeekiegrewlargeasMalteseoranges，whilewithchatteringteethhepointedoverthebulwarkofthevessel。
Alanturnedandsaw。
Thiswaswhathesaworseemedtosee:ThefigureoftheAsikainherrobesandbreastplateofgold，standingupontheair，justbeyondtheship，asthoughonitshemightsetnofoot。Herwavingblackhairhungabouthershoulders，butthesharpwinddidnotseemtostiritnordidherwhitedressflutter，andonherbeautifulfacewasstampedalookofawfulrageandagony，therageofbetrayal，theagonyofloss。Inherrighthandsheheldaknife，andfromawoundinherbreasttheredbloodrandownhergoldencorselet。ShepointedtoJeekiewiththeknife，sheopenedherarmstoAlanasthoughinunutterablelonging，thenslowlyraisedthemupwardstowardsthefadinggloryoftheskyabove——andwasgone。
Jeekiesatdownuponthedeck，moppinghisbrowwitharedhandkerchief，whileAlan，whofeltfaint，clungtothebulwarks。
“Tellyou，Major，thatAsikacandoallthatkindofthing。Neverknowwhereyoufindhernext。’SpectshecometolivewithusinEnglandandjustcallinnowandagainwhenitdark。Tellyou，sheveryawkwardcustomer，thinkp’rapsyoudonebetterstopthereandmarryher。Well，shegonenow，thankHeaven！seemtodropinseaandhopeshestaythere。“
“Jeekie，“saidAlan，recoveringhimself，“listentome；thisisallinfernalnonsense；wehavegonethroughagreatdealandthenervesofbothofusareoverstrained。Wethinkwesawwhatwedidnotsee，andifyoudaretosayasinglewordofittoyourmistress，I’llbreakyourneck。Doyouunderstand？“
“Yes，Major，thinkso。All’fernalnonsense，nervesstrained，didn’tseewhatwesee，andsaynothingofwhatdidseetoMrs。Major，ifeitherdosayanything，t’otheronebreakhisneck。Thatallright，quiteunderstand。Anythingelse，Major？“
“Yes，Jeekie。Wehavehadsomewonderfuladventures，buttheyarepastanddonewithandthelesswetalkoreventhinkaboutthemthebetter，forthereisalotthatwouldberatherdifficulttoexplain，andthatifexplainedwouldscarcelybebelieved。“
“Yes，Major，forinstance，verydifficultexplainMrs。BarbarahowAsikasofondofyouifyouonlytellher，’Goaway，goaway！’allthetime，likeoldsaint-gentlemantoprettygirlinpicture。P’rapsshesmellrat。“
“Stopyourribaldtalk，“saidAlaninasternvoice。“ItwouldbebetterifinsteadofmakingjokesyougavethankstoProvidenceforbringingbothofusaliveandwelloutofverydreadfuldangers。NowI
amgoingtodressfordinner，“andwithananxiousglanceseawardintothegatheringdarkness，heturnedandwent。
Jeekiestoodaloneupontheemptydeck，wagginghisgreatwhiteheadtoandfroandsoliloquizingthus:
“WonderifMajorseewhatunderladyAsika’sfeetwhenshestandoutthereovernastydeep。Thinknotorhesaysomething。Thatnoblelordnotlooknice。No，privateviewforJeekieonly，freeticketandnothingtopayandmehopeitnocomebackwhenIgotobed。Majorknownothingaboutit，sohenotsee，butJeekieknowalot。HopethatAylwardnotwriteanylettershome，orifhewrite，hopenoonepostthem。Ghostbadenough，butmurder，ohmy！“
Hepausedawhile，thenwenton:
“JeekiedobigsacrificetoBonsawhenhereachYarleys，getlambinbackkitchenatnight，orifghostcomeanymore，calfinwoodoutside。Notstealit，payforithimself。ThenthinkJeekieturnCath’lic；confesshissins，theysaythempriestchapsnotsplit，andaftertheygothissins，theytackleAsikaandBonsastoo，“andheutteredaseriesofpenitentgroans，turningslowlyroundandroundtobesurethatnothingwasbehindhim。
Justthenthefullmoonappearedoutofabankofclouds，andasitrosehigher，floodingtheworldwithlight，Jeekie’sspiritsrosealso。
“Asikanevercomeinmoonshine，“hesaid，“thatnotthegame，againstrule，andafterall，whatJeekiedonebad？Heverygoodfellowreally。
Aylwardgreatvillain，servehimjollywellrightifAsikaspiflicatehim，thatnotJeekie’sfault。WhatJeekiedo，hedotosavemasterandmissuswhohelove。Carenothingforhisself，readytodieanyday。
Keepitdarktosavethemtoo，’causetheynolikethestory。Ifoncetheyknow，italwaysleavetasteinmouth，sameasbadoyster。AlsoJeekiemanageverywell，takeMajorsafeAsiki-land’causeLittleBonsamakehim，givehimveryinterestingtimethere，gethimplentygold，nursehimwhenhesick，nobbleMungana，bringhimoutagain，findMissBarbara，catchhatedrivalandbamboozleallAsikiarmy，bringhappypairtocoastandmarrythem，arrangefirst-classhoneymoononship——Jeekiedoallthesethings，andlotsmorehecouldtell，ifhevainandnotpoorhumblenigger。“
Oncemorehepausedawhile，lostinthecontemplationofhisownmodestyandvirtues，thencontinued:
“Thisveryungratefulworld。Majorthere，henotsay，’Thankyou，Jeekie，Jeekie，yougreat，wonderfulman。BraveJeekie，artfulJeekie。
Jeekiesmartaspaintwhomakeallworldbelievejustwhathelike，andonetoomanyforAsikaherself。’No，no，hesaynothinglikethat。
Hesay’thankProv’dence，’not’Jeekie，’asthoughProv’dencedoallthemthings。Whitefolkthinktheyclever，butgreatfools，really，don’tknownothing。Prov’denceallverywellinhisway——p’raps，butProv’dencenotapatchonJeekie。
“Hullo！moongetbehindcloudandtheresecondbell；thinkJeekiegodownandwaitdinner；lonelyuphereandsureAsikaneverstand’lectriclight。“
End