ough this entrance Amaxosa passed, beckoning to the party to follow;
and when the gloom began to grow deep some twenty yards from the outlet,
he spoke for the first time, addressing Grenville in fairly good
English, though he did not speak the language with the same fluency as
his brother.

"Let the Inkoosis strike lights, and Amaxosa will find his torch."

Grenville at once complied with this request, and when the match was
once alight the Zulu stepped forward a couple of yards, picked up his
torch from a ledge of rock, and having quickly ignited it, led the party
out of the water, up a passage some fifty feet long, and into a spacious
and lofty cavern, having the appearance of a vaulted room, with only one
outlet.

CHAPTER FIVE.

THE FORLORN HOPE.

In one corner of this vaulted room--for such it certainly looked--was
piled a stack of firewood, whilst several strips of dried flesh hung
invitingly against the wall, and three or four large stones lying handy
had evidently been used as seats by the former occupants of the cavern.

Amaxosa now proceeded to light a fire; but Grenville stopped him, just
as he was about to thrust his torch into a mass of dry wood and leaves,
urging the unwisdom of the proceeding.

"Let not the Inkoosis fear," replied the Zulu; "the smoke travels
through a hole in the roof of the cave and comes out through a heap of
reeds in an evil-smelling fever swamp on the high lands above, and which
no man will willingly approach; and if the smoke be seen, it will but be
taken for the evening mists rising from the marsh. Besides all this,
the night is now dark outside; let the Inkoosis look--the words of
Amaxosa are true."

Grenville went down the passage and looked out, only to find that their
guide was perfectly right, and that night had indeed cast an unusually
black mantle of protection round them.

This being so, they enjoyed to the full a good warm feed, accompanied by
hot coffee from their own little store; and then placing Myzukulwa on
guard, a precaution which no fancied security would induce Grenville to
forego, the party lighted their pipes, and disposed themselves
comfortably round the fire to listen to Winfield's narrative.

This was short, but to the point. He had been gold-prospecting near the
foot of the Pass with his party of seven men, his daughter also being
with him, and had been surprised one night by about threescore Mormons,
who at once murdered his men, but saved