hispers as, escorted by a group of ringed men, he
and Gerard, leaving their waggons in charge of Sintoba and the other
driver, but still inspanned, were ushered upon that errand.

The chief's hut was no larger than the others, nor was there anything to
distinguish it from them, except perhaps an open space in front of it.
It faced, too, a gate in the inner kraal, and through this our two
friends were marshalled accordingly.

The chief, Ingonyama, was a large, stoutly built Zulu of about fifty.
He had a shrewd, intelligent face, and his shaven head, surmounted by
the inevitable _isicoco_ or ring, rendered his high broad forehead
almost commandingly lofty. His jaw was square and resolute, but there
was a shifty look in his somewhat deep-set eyes--a look of cunning which
was uncomfortably suggestive of treachery. His nails, after the custom
of Zulus of rank, were enormously long and claw like. Such was the
outward appearance of the chief of the redoubted Igazipuza.

He was seated on a dried bullock-hide in front of his hut. A large
white war-shield was held above his head to shelter him from the sun.
Beside him sat his favourite _induna_, and in the mighty frame and evil
countenance of this man, our two friends recognised the rival hunter who
had so inopportunely stepped between them and their game a few days
previously, Vunawayo.

Dawes, knowing in such matters, and, moreover, keenly alive to all that
passed, observed that the head-ringed men, who had marshalled them into
the presence of the chief, sainted the latter with almost royal
acclamation, although they did not give the "_Bayete_," [Note 1], a fact
which, taken with the white shield held above Ingonyama's head--a royal
custom--struck him as significant. He, himself, merely greeted the
chief in the ordinary way, "_Saku bona_."

The greeting was acknowledged, rather stiffly. Then Ingonyama spoke--

What he saw before him was strange, he said. Here was a man who spoke
with their tongue fluently, though a white man--who was conversant with
their customs. Yet this man, with his companion, appeared before him
with arms in hand, came right up to him, their host and entertainer,
holding guns. And the chief cast a meaning glance at the weapons.

"Yes, I allow it isn't precisely in accordance with good manners, as
Zulus understand them, to do this," returned Dawes. "But then neither
is it for a crowd of people to rush into my camp and kill three men
under m