h grim irony, with fell significance.

"Let us go down," resumed Vunawayo. "Ha! our meeting up here has been
short and unexpected. But it may be that we shall meet again upon the
point of The Tooth, and then our meeting will be a much longer one. Oh
yes; we shall meet again up here," added the savage, with a sinister
laugh, as he turned to lead the way down.

And Gerard, unnerved by these evidences of the sickening barbarities
practised by this ferocious clan, could hardly bring himself on his
return to tell Dawes what he had seen.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

THE ATTEMPTED ESCAPE.

Dawes, prompt to discern that his young companion had seen or heard
something to unnerve him, was not long in getting at the whole story of
the latter's discovery.

"It's a pity you turned your explorations in that direction, Ridgeley,"
was his verdict, "for I'm afraid the result has knocked you out of time
some--and it's still more a pity that Vunawayo should have stumbled
across you up there, because of course he saw that you were a bit upset,
and it gives them a sort of a hold on us. Well now, you see, my plan is
the best in the long run. You must try and make a break for it, and see
what you can do for the rest of us."

But still Gerard refused, refused uncompromisingly to leave his comrade
alone in the power of these barbarians. At length it was agreed they
should toss up which should make the attempt.

"Here, you'd better do the throwing, or you'll be swearing I've hocussed
the coin," said Dawes, with a dry smile. "By Jove, I've tossed for many
a thing, from drinks upwards, but never for quite such a life-and-death
business as this. Still, I hope you may win, for I tell you candidly
you would stand a bad chance if left here. Well, heads you go, tails I
stay. What's it to be--two out of three, or `sudden death'?"

"Sudden death sounds unlucky. Two out of three we'll say. You throw."

"All right," said Dawes, producing a shilling and contemplating it with
that dry, quizzical look of his that did duty for most men's laugh.
"Her most Gracious Majesty isn't in it up here compared with Ingonyama--
confusion to the latter. Now--call." And up went the coin.

"Heads!" sang out Gerard. Heads it was.

Up went the coin again. This time "tails" turned up.

"So far a draw. Now for the casting vote," said Dawes.

"Heads!" cried Gerard again. "Hurra--No. I've lost--though I've won
the toss," he ended, as the coin, having w