rue, Shumilana," whispers Mandevu.
"_Whau_!"

The last, _staccato_. For a bullet has splattered hard against the rock
upon which the two are lying. It has not come from the man in yonder
flimsy cover, but from across the river. Another follows sharp, and it
splinters the stock of Shumilana's piece, causing him to drop it with a
growl of pain, for the shock has strained the muscles of his wrist and
numbed his whole arm. The two savages drop from their lurking-place and
glide away like snakes into the thicker bush, only barely in time to
avoid another bullet which rips viciously over them. And Trooper Symes
chuckles as he rides down to the river bank, where the other horse
whinnies excitedly at the reunion.

Dickinson's first remark was characteristic.

"Got the kodak, Symes?"

"Of course. Here it is."

"Well, I'll bring it through."

"No fear. It'll save time if I do."

Holding the case high above his head, Symes was through in a minute.

"It's a case of sharp's the word if we're to catch the light," said
Dickinson, and forthwith he proceeded to uncover the ghastly relic.
"There," he went on, having taken half-a-dozen snapshots at every angle,
"we've got the workings of something of a case."

"Faugh! Ugly-looking devil, any way you look at him," pronounced Symes.
"A blanked `Sheeny' if ever there was one."

Characteristically again, then and only then did Dickinson refer to the
very narrow escape he had had.

"What made you bring the rifle, Symes?"

"Dunno. Thought we might get a chance at a buck going back. Lucky I
did."

"Rather; they'd have done for me. I hadn't a chance. Shake, old chap."

The two comrades shook hands, and then thought no more about the matter.
It was all in the day's work.

"I wonder," said Dickinson, when they had regained the other side--they
had buried the head under a pile of stones, "I wonder who the swine
could have been who was sniping me. He knew how to shoot, by the Lord!
Shouldn't wonder if it's some discharged _Nongqai_. I always held it a
mistake teaching those chaps to shoot."

Symes agreed--with language, as usual. Then they had a hurried snack,
and rode off--two very wet police--to find some safer and more open
locality for their night camp. But that, too, was all in the day's
work.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

SAPAZANI "AT HOME."

Ben Halse showed no surprise when Denham broke the news to him; in fact,
he felt none. What he did feel was a sharp