he disappeared feet foremost as he stood; disappeared into the earth,
flinging his shield and assegais wildly on high as he clutched at the
grass and roots in vain.

"I sprang to the spot warily, for I knew what had befallen. He had sunk
into one of those chasms or fissures of which I have spoken as gaping
half concealed by the grass. Kneeling at the brink, I peered in, and
doing so I thought I could hear the sound of laboured breathing.

"`Are you alive, my father?' I called out. `Is the hole deep?'

"`I have not reached the bottom, Untuswa,' he answered. `I am holding
myself up where the chasm narrows. There are some bushes growing where
we met. Go, cut some, that you may draw me out.'

"But at this I laughed.

"`I am young, O my father--only an _umfane_, as you said just now--but I
am not completely a fool. The knobsticks of the King's executioners
come down hard upon the skulls of rebellious soldiers, O Gungana,
_induna_ of the King,' I mocked.

"`I was but angry, Untuswa. Thou art young, and hast fought right well.
I will name thee to the King, and will "point at" thee in the next
_Tyay'igama_ dance.'

"`Not so, my father. It is Kalipe who will do that--Kalipe, who will
now be in chief command of the King's troops; Kalipe, who does _not_ try
and rob one of the King's brave soldiers of more than half the praise
due to him; Kalipe, who does _not_ rob the soldier of the chance of
obtaining his head-ring, who does _not lobola_ for the girl that soldier
wants. So now, Gungana, I will promote Kalipe to command the King's
army--I, Untuswa the _inceku_; I, Untuswa the _umfane_--and I will do
this _by making the post vacant_.'

"`Thou jackal whelp!' he snarled, disdaining further to ask for mercy,
realising, too, that it was useless, for he knew he had intended my
death, and that I was fully aware he had. `Thou jackal whelp! I would
that I had not spared thee all this while!'

"`It has been a day too long, my father,' I jeered. `Now I shall go
back, and the King will allow me to _tunga_, for he has promised it. I
will _lobola_ for Nangeza, and soon I shall be an _induna_, and she
shall be my "great wife." Then, O Gungana, I will not rest until I have
all your sons and kindred "smelt out" as _abatagati_, and "eaten up."
Old Masuka will see to that; so you may soon expect them in the world of
shades.'

"_Whau, Nkose_! It was not well done, thus to mock and taunt a brave
man and an _induna_ of the