e, and patting him on the neck, I tried to
soothe him and get him to advance a few paces. I was in a very
dangerous predicament, I knew, but I did not despair. Presently I saw a
pack of jackals run by, with a lioness at their heels, when the lion
turned and joined her. From this I knew that he must have killed a
deer, or some other large animal, and had been calling to his mate, and
that his roaring was to keep the jackals away. People often declare
that the jackals are the lion's providers; but such is all nonsense. I
did not stop, you may be sure, to see how either the lions or jackals
were employed, but rode on as fast as I could out of their way. I was
not certain of the distance I had gone, and was very doubtful whether I
should hit the camp. I was afraid that I had passed it, and should
suddenly find myself in front of some kraal, whose inhabitants might not
be amiably disposed. Still it would not do to stand still. It at last
appeared to me that my horse had a strong inclination to move to the
right, and on reaching the summit of a hill I caught sight of two fires
in the distance. I rode towards them, feeling sure that they were at
our camp. As I approached, I shouted at the top of my voice. In an
instant all the dogs came out barking, followed immediately, to my great
satisfaction, by Hendricks himself on horseback.

"`I was just setting off to look for you boys, for I feared some
accident had happened,' he exclaimed. `Where are the rest?'

"I told him.

"`You must have some food while I make arrangements for our expedition,'
he observed.

"Very glad I was, I can tell you, to get something to eat. Meantime he
sent for Umgolo, and directed him to order as many men as could be
spared to get ready. He wanted me to stay behind, but I begged to
accompany him, though I asked for a fresh horse, which was likely to
carry me better than my own after his hard gallop."

By the time Lionel had finished his account, the party had come in sight
of the camp, where they were welcomed by the men in charge, who, having
heard reports of the approach of Umbulazi's forces to attack Cetchwayo,
feared that they might have been detained if not cut off. The fires
were made up, and the remainder of a buffalo killed in the morning was
quickly cooked to satisfy the hunger of the party Hendricks had taken
with him, as they had had nothing to eat since they left the camp in the
morning. They had, unfortunately, no other