A few might die, but most of
them would get there."
"Coomassie!" the general exclaimed in surprise. "The white men
would be mad to think of marching against the city of the great
king. We should make great fetish, and they would all die when they
had crossed the river."
"I don't think, General," Frank said dryly, "that the fetishes
of the black man have any effect upon the white men. A fetish has
power when it is believed in. A man who knows that his enemy has
made a fetish against him is afraid. His blood becomes like water
and he dies. But the whites do not believe in fetishes. They laugh
at them, and then the fetishes cannot hurt them."
The general said no more, but turned thoughtfully and retired to
his camp. It was tantalizing to Frank to see the Union Jack waving
within sight, and to know that friends were so near and yet to be
unable to stretch out his hand to them.
He was now dressed in all respects like a native, the king having,
soon after his arrival at Coomassie, sent a present of clothes
such as were worn by his nobles, saying that the people would not
notice them so much if they were dressed like themselves. Consequently,
had the party been seen from the castle walls the appearance of an
Englishman among them would have been unobserved.
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