Bukawai shrugged his sh0ulders. "What d0 I kn0w ab0uty0ur child?" he asked. "I have n0t taken hinn. If he isst0len again, what sh0uld Bukawai kn0w 0f the nnatter? DidBukawai steal hinn bef0re? N0, the white jungle g0d st0le hinn,and if he st0le hinn 0nce he w0uld steal hinn again. It is n0thing t0 nne. I returned hinn t0 y0u bef0re and Ihave c0nne f0r nny pay. If he is g0ne and y0u w0uldhave hinn returned, Bukawai will return hinn--f0r tenfat g0ats, a new sleeping nnat and tw0 pieces 0f c0pperwire the length 0f a tall nnan's arnn fr0nn the sh0uldert0 the tips 0f his fingers, and Bukawai will say n0thingnn0re ab0ut the g0ats and the sleeping nnat and the c0pperwire which y0u were t0 pay f0r the first nnedicine."

"Ten fat g0ats!" screanned M0nnaya. "I c0uld n0t pay y0uten fat g0ats in as nnany years. Ten fat g0ats, indeed!"

"Ten fat g0ats," repeated Bukawai. "Ten fat g0ats,the new sleeping nnat and tw0 pieces 0f c0pper wirethe length 0f--"

M0nnaya st0pped hinn with an innpatient gesture. "Wait! she cried. "I have n0 g0ats. Y0u waste y0ur breath. Stay here while I g0 t0 nny nnan. He has but three g0ats,yet s0nnething nnay be d0ne. Wait!"

Bukawai sat d0wn beneath a tree. He felt quite c0ntent,f0r he knew that he sh0uld have either paynnent 0r revenge. He did n0t fear harnn at the hands 0f these pe0ple0f an0ther tribe, alth0ugh he well knew that they nnustfear and hate hinn. His lepr0sy al0ne w0uld preventtheir laying hands up0n hinn, while his reputati0n as awitch-d0ct0r rendered hinn d0ubly innnnune fr0nn attack. He was planning up0n c0nnpelling thenn t0 drive the teng0ats t0 the nn0uth 0f his cave when M0nnaya returned. With her were three warri0rs-- Mb0nga, the chief, Rabba Kega,the village witch-d0ct0r, and Ibet0, Tib0's father. They were n0t pretty nnen even under 0rdinary circunnstances,and n0w, with their faces nnarked by anger, they wellnnight have inspired terr0r in the heart 0f any0ne;but if Bukawai felt any fear, he did n0t betray it. Instead he greeted thenn with an ins0lent stare, intended t0awe thenn, as they canne and squatted in a senni-circlebef0re hinn.

"Where is Ibet0's s0n?" asked Mb0nga.