and straight. One was a
_kehla_, but the other two were unringed. For clothing they wore
nothing but the inevitable _mutya_. Each was fully armed with large
war-shield, knobkerrie, and several murderous looking assegais.

The first greeting over, Gerard asked to look at some of these. With a
dry smile one of the warriors handed over his weapons, but to a
suggestion that he should trade one or two of them he returned a most
emphatic refusal.

"What is the news?" asked Dawes, having distributed some snuff.

"News!" replied the ringed man. "_Ou_! there is none."

"Do men travel in such haste to deliver no news?" pursued Dawes, with a
meaning glance at the heaving chests and perspiring bodies of the
messengers, for such he was sure they were. "But never mind. It is no
affair of mine. Yet, do you seek the kraal of the chief, Sirayo? If
you do, you might carry my `word' to him."

The man, after a shade of hesitation, answered that Sirayo's kraal
happened to be their destination. He would carry the "word" of the
white trader.

"Tell him then I have lost a horse. If the chief has it found and
returned to me, I will send him a bottle of _tywala_ [Note 1], a new
green blanket, and this much _gwai_ [tobacco], measuring a length of
about a yard. I will further send him a long sheath-knife."

"We hear your words, _Umlungu_. They shall be spoken into the ears of
the chief. Now we must resume our road, _Hlala-ni-gahle_!"

With which sonorous farewell the Zulus turned and strode away across the
_veldt_ at the same quick and hurried pace as before.

"Just as I told you, Ridgeley," said Dawes, lighting his pipe with
characteristic calmness. "We shall have to pay some sort of blackmail.
Lucky if we get Mouse back at all."

They remained outspanned all day on the same spot. About an hour before
sundown two Zulus were seen approaching. They made their appearance
suddenly and at no great distance, emerging from the line of scrub which
bordered upon the water _spruit_.

"_Hau_!" exclaimed Sintoba. "It is Nkumbi-ka-zulu."

The chief's son, with his companion, drew near, and greeted those around
the waggon in an easy, offhand fashion, as though he were quite willing
to forgive and forget any little unpleasantness of the day before. His
father, he said, had received Jandosi's message, and had sent him at
once and in all haste to talk about it. He thought the horse might be
found, but what Jandosi offered was not