marched his men directly into the village and formed them so that they could command any situation that might arise.
At sight of The Kid and Old Timer and the girl Bobolo appeared frightened. He sought to escape from the village, but the soldiers stopped him, and then the officer informed him that he was under arrest. Bobolo did not ask why. He knew.
'Where is the witch-doctor called Sobito?' demanded the officer.
Bobolo trembled. 'He is gone,' he said.
'Where?' demanded the officer.
'To Tumbai,' replied Bobolo. 'A little while ago a demon came and carried him away. He dropped into the village from the sky and took Sobito up in his arms as though he had no weight at all. Then he cried, 'Sobito is going back to the village of Tumbai!', and he ran through the gateway and was gone into the forest before anyone could stop him.'
'Did anyone try?' inquired Old Timer with a grin.
'No,' admitted Bobolo. 'Who could stop a spirit?'
The sun was sinking behind the western forest, its light playing upon the surging current of the great river that rolled past the village of Bobolo. A man and a woman stood looking out across the water that was plunging westward in its long journey to the sea down to the trading posts and the towns and the ships, which are the frail links that connect the dark forest with civilization.
'Tomorrow you will start,' said the man. 'In six or eight weeks you will be home. Home!' There was a world of wistfulness in the simple, homely word. He sighed. 'I am so glad for both of you.'
She came closer to him and stood directly in front of him, looking straight into his eyes. 'You are coming with us,' she said.
'What makes you think so?' he asked. 'Because I love you, you will come.'
