ursuit of him, and his perilous hiding-place on the
river-bank. His feat in slaying the alligator caused great sensation;
and Sobuza having ordered the rifle, on which was still spliced the
broken knife, to be brought, he and his assembled chiefs examined this
cleverly devised weapon with the greatest interest. Gerard went up a
hundred per cent, in their estimation.

Now our friend's knowledge of the Zulu tongue comprised a prodigious
number of words, but his grammar was of the shakiest description.
However, the vital importance of his narrative soon rendered him
oblivious to any mere self-consciousness, and in his hearers he found a
most eager and patient audience. Once or twice only did they interrupt
him when his meaning was unintelligible, and then only to help him
through. But, when he had finished, they questioned him on every
conceivable detail, cross-examined him so deftly, that they had promptly
got out of him his own plans, his own errand, without his being in the
least aware of it. More than one there present knew "Jandosi," from
trading trips which he had made among them.

"How many fighting men has Ingonyama, Jeriji?" said Sobuza again.

Gerard replied that he thought there must be at least five hundred.
Besides the large kraal there were two smaller ones under the rocks at
the further end of the hollow. There was only one approach to the
place, and they used to boast that by massing at this point they could
hold their own against any odds. He had already sketched on the ground
an elaborate map of the place.

"Good!" said Sobuza, grimly. "Life is full of deceptions, and that is
one of them, as they shall find out. Listen, Jeriji. You may spare
yourself the trouble of carrying Jandosi's `word' to the king. You
asked against whom we were out. Well, we are the king's hunting-dogs,
and the Igazipuza are the game."

Gerard stared as though he could hardly believe his ears. He had
thought the whole population of the northern country, including these
among whom he had fallen, was in league with that evil and bloodthirsty
clan, if not actively in membership with it. But the armed warriors
around him had actually been sent forth to suppress it. Then he
remembered how different was their bearing and demeanour to that of his
late enemies. There was no boisterous swash-bucklering savagery about
these. They were king's troops, the flower of the Zulu nation, they and
their chiefs, even as the Igazip