eave me in
the lurch, but you have found out your mistake. Now this is my word to
you. You will return to your duties as before, until I choose to
dismiss you, and it will depend upon your future behaviour whether I
shall fine you a part of your wage for this mutinous conduct or not.
You will either do this or--face the other alternative. Here it is. If
you refuse, you may go. But you go without food or blankets or arms,
not even a stick. Very likely I shall follow you up in the bush, and
shoot some or all of you. But I shall not shoot you dead, only in the
leg or somewhere that will disable you. Then when the Igazipuza find
you, as I have no doubt they will, it is no swift and easy death that
will be yours. I should not wonder if they spent the whole day burning
you with fire. Even if you escape them and return home, what will your
chief say to you for deserting me, and thus causing him to break his
word, for by some means or other I will take care to let him know. But,
first of all, I shall spend the whole morning flogging Kazimbi here. I
believe him to be the fomenter of all the discontent. I think he may
very likely die under the lash before I have done with him, but am not
sure. Now take your choice. Which is it to be?" concluded Dawes,
whirling the knotted _reims_ in the air, and bringing them down with a
sounding swish upon the disselboom of the waggon.

The Swazis, completely cowed, stared stupidly at the speaker. Kazimbi,
triced up all ready for the lash, turned grey with fear, and moaned
piteously for mercy. Whatever course the others might decide to follow,
he would not desert, he protested. He would be the white men's dog to
the end of time, only let them spare him now. It was hard that his skin
should depend on the decision of the others, he pleaded--drawing down
upon himself the somewhat grimly ironical retort that, whereas he had
been their spokesman, now they were his.

"We will remain as before," said the others, almost immediately. "We
will fulfil our duties until we are no longer wanted."

"Very good," said Dawes, with the self-possession of a man who had
foreseen this result all along. "Untie Kazimbi."

On returning to where they had left their property, such of the Swazis
as possessed assegais found that those weapons had been removed. Their
sticks only were left them. Then orders were given to inspan and the
trek was resumed.

As though to obliterate their former miscond