zled when they find that he's not there," said
Denis. "I'm doubly thankful that he got off if we are to be killed, and
there seems a great chance of that."

"Do you think they'll have the barbarity to put us to death?" asked
Percy. "What object can they have in doing so?"

"Those fellows think no more of killing a man than we do of snuffing out
a candle. If Mangaleesu cannot persuade them to let us go, we'll have a
poor chance indeed of escape."

It seemed that Denis was right in his conjectures. The dreadful old
witch was evidently bent on their destruction. Still, while there's
life there's hope, and Percy did not give way to despair. They both
maintained as calm a manner as they could command.

Again Mangaleesu addressed the prince with a boldness which astonished
the other chiefs, who regarded the dreadful old impostor with the most
profound awe; but he was again out-talked, both by her and the other
chiefs. Presently the men who had gone into the hut to look for Lionel
returned with the astonishing announcement that he was not to be found,
declaring that they could not account for his disappearance.

"What has become of your companion?" asked Umbulazi.

"We were not set to watch him, and if he's not there, it's clear that
he's gone," answered Denis, adding in English, "and I hope you are much
the wiser for the information."

"How did he go?" asked the prince.

"If he walked, he went on two legs," answered Denis.

"But how did he get out of the hut?" inquired the Prince.

"The guards who had us in charge should answer that question," said
Denis, in the same tone as before.

"Where are the guards? Send them here!" cried Umbulazi, in an angry
tone.

Denis feared that the poor fellows would lose their lives, and unwilling
to have them put to death, he cried out--

"They are not to blame. He is but a small boy, so he crept out by a
hole, through which a large man could not have forced his way. He is
with our friends long ago, I hope, so you need not trouble yourselves
about him."

This answer, however, did not save the unfortunate guards, who soon
approached, looking very downcast.

"I gave three prisoners into your charge; here are two, but where is the
third?" asked the prince.

The three guards could not reply. At last one of them asked permission
to go and search the hut. The prince told them that they might do so,
but must come back and be killed, if they did not find the boy.

As