t was that of the
spokesman.

"_Hamba gahle_ [`Farewell;' literally, `Go in peace.'], Sobuza, _induna_
of the king," he gasped, ironically. "_Hamba gahle, Umlungu_! The
Tooth bites! The Tooth bites!" And, with a devilish chuckle,
ferocious, untamable, fearless to the last, the young warrior, choked
with the torrents of his own blood, sank back and died.

"_Au_!" growled the chief impatiently, with an angry scowl. "We have
lost more than enough time over this carrion. Yet if all these dogs,
who call themselves `blood-drinkers,' care as little for their lives as
you two, by the head-ring of the Great Great One we shall have a merry
fight before we `eat up' Ingonyama's house." Then aloud "Forward,
children of the king!"

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

THE WORK OF "SUPPRESSION."

The chiefs and Gerard were unanimous in the opinion that it would be too
much luck to expect to find the Igazipuza unprepared, and the appearance
of Ingonyama's emissaries had set at rest all doubt upon that head; and
what with the desperate fearlessness of the outlaw clan--fighting, so to
say, with its neck in the halter--and the advantage of fighting on its
own ground, the battle that day, as Sobuza had said, was likely to prove
a right merry one.

All further necessity for concealment being now at an end, the _impi_
advanced swiftly and in silence, moving at a brisk ran, and now the
gleam of battle was in every eye, as gripping their formidable
broad-bladed assegais, the warriors pressed forward, in their own
expressive idiom beginning to "see red." Bounding the spar pointed out
by Gerard, they surged up the last slope.

Here they formed up into line of battle. Each flank consisted of a
company of the Ngobamakosi, and these were to constitute the "horns"
when the surrounding had to be done. That on the right had Gcopo for
leader, that on the left, another sub-chief, named Matela, while the
centre, which was composed of the Udhloko, was led by Sobuza, who, as
commander of the expedition, directed the movements generally. Beside
him, Gerard had resolved for the present to remain, in order, if called
upon, to give assistance by his knowledge of the place.

But for the incident of the two emissaries the king's _impi_ might have
supposed it was going to take the doomed Igazipuza completely by
surprise, according to the original plan, for as it advanced swiftly up
the slope not an enemy showed himself, not a sign of life was there.
H