dogs,"
replied this brave man, speaking in a quick hard voice in his agony.

"Ho! then shall the game continue; and there is much daylight before us
yet," said Sivuma; and again he beckoned the torturers.

This time the red-hot blades were inserted between Jambula's toes.
Still, beyond some slight writhing, he showed nothing of the horrible
torment he suffered.

All of this, _Nkose_, I was obliged to witness--being helpless. Had
there been but few men I had quickly been in their midst; but what can
one man do against a hundred? I could have yielded, but this would not
have saved Jambula; for, in any case, death by torment was the doom of
the man--slave or free--who had linked his lot with that of the
attempted slayer of the King. But I promised myself a rich revenge on
all concerned in this matter when my day should come; nor would my
yielding up of myself now do aught to hasten this, that I could see.
Besides, all this would I have endured myself rather than betray
Umzilikazi, in the days before he had broken faith with me; for it is
the duty of a man to suffer anything rather than betray his chief.

Now the torture had gone on a little longer, when I saw Jambula raise
his head.

"Cease now, I pray thee, my father!" he gasped. "I can bear no more. I
will lead you to the hiding-place of Untuswa."

At that I started, _Nkose_. After all, this man was of an alien race--
not one of us. He could not bear torture as the children of Zulu.

"Thou wilt, dog?" cried Sivuma, in delight. "And thou shalt. Fail,
though, and for days shalt thou lie beneath the red-hot pang of the
heated steel; ay, until thou diest."

"I will not fail, my father," groaned Jambula, as though weak and
exhausted with the pain. "He is somewhat far from here; but you shall
take him. Then will the King, the Great Great One, give me my life?"

"Thy life? That I know not, but it may be," replied Sivuma, ready to
promise anything in his eagerness.

I have said that Jambula's hands and feet were stretched far apart,
being bound to poles. His feet were now cut loose, but his feet only.

"The forest growth is thick where we have to go," he said, "and how
shall I pass through it bound thus?"

Sivuma looked at him a moment as though pondering. Then he gave orders,
and they cut his hands loose.

But hardly had they done so when I saw through his plan. With the hand
that was last loosened he grasped the end of the pole, and, whirling it