y were perfectly aware of the threatened
danger. Several of the Zulus had already got up to within fifty yards
of the fugitives. A couple of assegais came whistling through the air,
but they fell short of Hendricks, who now urging on his horse, made the
animal spring ahead. The rest of the party were by this time almost on
level ground. A few more bounds, and they were on the brow. There was
now no probability that the Zulus would overtake them. Hendricks might
have punished their pursuers by shooting down one or more, but he had no
desire to kill any one, and the extreme danger passed he rode on to the
head of his party. Still he could not venture to slacken his speed, for
before them was another valley with a good deal of rough ground, and
some of the more active Zulus might even now approach near enough to
hurl their assegais. The desire he felt to avoid bloodshed made him
still more anxious to keep ahead; for he and his companions might
otherwise, by halting, have received their pursuers with a fire which
would effectually have stopped their career. It was satisfactory to
know that the Zulus had no horses, for none had been observed in or
about the camp, so that when once they had got well ahead there was no
risk of being overtaken.

What all this time had become of Gozo? Denis and Percy had not seen him
during the morning, nor had he made his appearance after Hendricks'
arrival at the camp. It was hoped therefore that he had escaped,
although it was too possible that he had been put to death by the Zulus.

As the party gained the brow of the slope which led down to the next
valley, they saw below a herd of cattle, among which were several horses
feeding, attended by a few Zulus.

"The chances are our horses are among them," cried Denis, as they rode
down the slope; "yes, yes, I see them! I am sure they are ours; and,
hurrah, there too is old Gozo safe and sound. He has caught sight of
us, and, depend on it, is planning how he can best get clear of those
fellows near him."

"You are right," said Hendricks, and he shouted his follower's name.

The herdsmen, thinking the strangers were about to make a raid on their
cattle, began to drive them off, on which Gozo, throwing himself on the
back of one of the horses, caught the two others, and galloped on to
join his friends. Some of the herdsmen, seeing what he was doing,
hurled their assegais at him; but, experienced hunter as he was, he
avoided them b