ell
provisioned, and with such weapons as theirs to defend it, and having
regard to the fact that the place could only be entered by one man at a
time, it might well be considered absolutely impregnable.

Here the party rested for the night, keeping guard by turns, and
spending the whole of the next day in piling up firewood and timber
joists, by which they could ascend twenty feet above the level of the
outside ground, so as to scour the scrub, if needful, for any lurking
foes; and also in putting up a sort of earthwork inside the rock,
wherever the loopholes were too numerous to be required.

Night again put a welcome period to the labours of the party, and after
breakfast on the following morning Grenville called all together, told
them that the time for decided action had arrived, and unfolded his plan
of operations, as follows.

At sunset the two Zulus were to set out and travel all night, and by
dawn he calculated that they would--though taking a wide detour, to
avoid the risk of premature discovery--have had time to reach the
furthermost bridge across the great canon, and hide themselves amongst
the trees which at that point bordered the veldt. Both men were to lie
carefully concealed there until shortly after sunset; but the moment it
was fairly dark they were to approach the bridge, and contrive to let
themselves be seen hanging about, as if desirous of crossing. This
method of procedure would, Grenville felt sure, cause the guard great
uneasiness, and result in his firing the signal rockets, and calling up
the main body to effect the capture or destruction of the audacious foe.

Unless they were regularly set upon, the Zulus were not to indulge their
inclinations for fighting, but, once having seen the fiery signals
ascend, were to use the utmost despatch in regaining, by the most direct
route, the neighbourhood of the central bridge. Here they were to await
the return of Grenville and his party, accompanied, if successful in
their attempt, by Miss Winfield, when the united body would make a
desperate effort to reach the Table Rock, or, if too hard pressed to
gain that desired haven, would find sanctuary in Amaxosa's cave. If the
stratagem, however, took the Mormons in as completely as Grenville
expected, his own party would have a start of at least two hours, and
this would probably enable them to get right through to the rock.

The plan was undoubtedly clever, and one, moreover, which gave promise
o