ukulwa's. If needful, it will come in handy as a club after it is
emptied. Besides, my game this time is not fighting, but hiding and
then running; and I am specially anxious that should I have the ill-luck
to fall into their hands, they may not along with me obtain any of our
own modern weapons of warfare. Had I not had the luck to drop Radford
Custance before he had time to hand your Winchester over to the
community, we should all have gone under a month ago. Let me tell you,
these fellows are not bad shots--remember the man who nearly dropped us
in the Pass; and above all, don't forget poor Winfield's end."

"I see, nothing can move you," groaned poor Leigh.

"No earthly consideration will induce me to forego the attempt, Alf,"
was the quick reply; "so help me, instead of seeking to divert me from
the end I have in view; and above all do not mention my project to the
girls. It will be time enough for them to hear it when the result is a
matter of history."

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

GUY FAWKES REDIVIVUS.

All the following day Grenville rested and slept, and when the night
closed in he saw with growing satisfaction that there was likely to be a
heavy storm, and this in itself indicated the probable advent of the
rainy season at no very distant date.

Not wishing to be delayed in any way, he set out early with Amaxosa, and
by midnight, when the storm broke, had arrived within pistol-shot of the
town.

By this time everywhere had grown dark as pitch, and looking up,
Grenville saw that all the stars had disappeared, whilst at that very
moment the surrounding landscape as well as the town stood revealed in a
blinding glare of lightning, instantly succeeded by a terrific clap of
thunder.

Quickly gaining the cover of the walls, Grenville hastily donned his
protective armour, exchanged weapons with the Zulu, much to that
worthy's astonishment, and then armed exactly as he had intended to be,
and with a dozen spare cartridges in his pocket, commanded Amaxosa to
return to the plateau as fast as he possibly could.

The indignation of the Zulu knew no bounds.

"Why," he said, "does my father distrust his faithful war-dog? Does he
fear that when the time of danger comes his son will not be there? Has
my father forgotten how the children of the Undi fought for him at the
narrow crossing by the River of Death, has he forgotten the battle of
the rock, the fight in the great black cavern, or the mighty struggle at