Once again, as in The Colonial Gentleman's Son, Kwame Mainu is faced with deciding whether or not to help the British authorities combat Kumasi-based drugs traders. It takes him some time to make up his mind.

Page 40

Kwame was surprised, confused and angry all at once. ‘Why should I need to be tested?’ he protested. ‘I’ve come here to live peacefully and do honest work to keep my family safe. I came here today of my own free will. I can’t see that I’ve done anything to justify being put to a test and I must protest most strongly at the way I’ve been treated.’

‘We found cocaine in the live snails,’ said Leon quietly.

Page 47

The problem, mused Kwame, as Akosua went off to attend to her homework, is finding the right pachyderm to follow, then making sure you’re not around when the fight comes. Was Leon Thornet the elephant of choice? Was he powerful enough to defeat the next terrible sasabonsam to emerge from the West African jungle?