quite enough. There were few
people at his father's kraal. Sirayo could not get them to turn out for
so little as the promised reward would amount to when divided among the
searchers. Now Sirayo's "word" was this. If Jandosi would offer, say
six bottles of _tywala_--the white _tywala_ that is drunk out of square
bottles--to be distributed among the people, together with the _gwai_
and the other things, and a gun and some cartridges for the chief
himself, something might be done; in fact, the horse was pretty sure to
be found. But the gun was what the chief desired most; and in fact the
gun he must have, hinted Nkumbi-ka-zulu, with a grin of hardly concealed
triumph.

The barefaced impudence, the open rascality of the demand, would have
made the blood boil in the veins of any less even-tempered man than John
Dawes. The latter, however, took it quite coolly. But all the while he
was thinking out some plan whereby he might recover possession of the
horse, and at the same time turn the tables on the rascally old chief
and his scamp of a son. To this end, and with a view to gaining time,
he engaged the latter in a protracted haggle, and mixed some gin and
water for his refreshment. To his surprise, however, Nkumbi-ka-zulu
refused the proffered _tywala_--saying he did not like it. The other
Zulu, however, less particular, drained the pannikin to the very last
drop, and asked for more.

Would not some knives do instead of the gun? asked Dawes; or a coloured
umbrella, anything in fact? The gun was almost a necessary of life, and
he could not part with it. He could get another horse from the Boers on
the Transvaal border, but not another gun. But Nkumbi-ka-zulu was firm.
His father must have a gun, he said. There was nothing else that would
be acceptable.

Now while this haggle was in progress one of the spans of oxen, which
had been out grazing in charge of the leader of Gerard's waggon, was
being driven leisurely in. Wondering why half the oxen should thus be
left behind, Gerard drew off from the talkers, whom he understood but
imperfectly, and turned to meet the "boy" in order to learn the reason.
But the latter, without seeming to notice his presence, waited until he
was quite near, and going behind the animals, so as to be momentarily
screened from the group at the waggons, said in a low tone--

"_I hashe--La-pa_." ["The horse--over there."]

The words--the quick side glance towards the line of bush--w