ad long since ceased, not
on that account did he flatter himself they had given up the chase.
These bloodhounds would not abandon their prey so readily. Even though
the morning might see him a long distance from their haunt, yet would he
by no means be safe. The Igazipuza were drawn mainly from the Aba
Qulusi clan, who inhabited almost exclusively the mountainous region of
northern Zululand. Not among these could he look for help, for guidance
in reaching the kraal of the king.

And, indeed, could he so look to any? What if the war with the English
had actually broken out? In that case he would be a lawful prey to the
first armed band he should meet. The hand of every man, woman, and
child in the country would be against him.

The first thing, however, was to evade those now in pursuit of him, and
with feelings of the deepest thankfulness, Gerard plunged into the dark,
welcome shades of the forest. But here a new drawback, a new peril
arose to confront him. The ground was hardly less rough than the open
hillside, and being in shadow, he could not see to guide his horse, with
the result that now and again the animal would crash right into a bush,
or stumble and slide over the roots of a tree, at the same time nearly
braining his rider against a limb of the same. Or a buck would start up
and rush away headlong through the covert, making a prodigious clatter,
and, as sound travels far at night, the keen ears of his enemies would
have no difficulty in following him by their sense of hearing alone.

How long he thus pursued his course Gerard could hardly have told; but
at length the deep-drawn breathing and stumbling gait of his steed
warned him that it was high time the latter had a rest, however brief.
So he dismounted, and having listened a moment, loosened the girths, but
without removing the saddle, and then stood listening again.

If he had come upon this expedition in search of adventure, assuredly he
had found it, thought Gerard, as he stood there by his horse, with the
bridle in his hand ready to mount at the very first alarm; as he stood
there in the midnight darkness of the forest, listening with beating
heart for the stealthy footsteps of his pursuing enemies. As a
situation of wild, adventurous peril, assuredly this one would be hard
to surpass.

He might thus have been standing about half an hour, when a faint,
far-away rustling was borne to his ears. At the same time his horse
began to show sig