CHAPTER XII 

THE GOLD HOUSE 

"How you like Asiki-land, Major?" asked Jeekie, who had followed him and was now leaning against a wall fanning himself feebly with his great hand. "Funny place, isn't it, Major? I tell you so before you come, but you no believe me." 

"Very funny," answered Alan, "so funny that I want to get out." 

"Ah! Major, that what eel say in trap where he go after lob-worm, but he only get out into frying pan after cook skin him alive-o. Ah! here come cook--I mean Asika. She only stop shut up those stiff 'uns, who all love lob-worm one day. Very pretty woman, Asika, but thank God she not set cap at me, who like to be buried in open like Christian man." 

"If you don't stop it, Jeekie," replied Alan in a concentrated rage, "I'll see that you are buried just where you are." 

"No offence, Major, no offence, my heart full and bubble up. I wonder what Miss Barbara say if she see you mooing and cooing with dark-eyed girl in gold snake skin?" 

Just then the Asika arrived and by way of excuse for his flight, Alan remarked to her that the treasure-hall was hot. 

"I did not notice it," she answered, "but he who is called my husband, Mungana, says the same. The Mungana is guardian of the dead," she explained, "and when he is required so to do, he sleeps in the Place of the Treasure and gathers wisdom from the spirits of those Munganas who were before him." 
Who arrived next>
Just then the Asika arrived