capital.
I'll take some in for my mother; but we'll paint them white to suit the
dresses of the figures."

"I suppose I must give up the command to you," said Percy to Rupert,
when the latter returned to the platform.

"You have succeeded so well, that I should not think of superseding
you," answered his brother. "I'll obey your orders, although I will
exert my own wits, and consider what is best to be done."

"The most important object that I can see at present is to prevent the
Zulus from capturing the waggon," said Percy. "If any of them go
towards it, we must make a dash out and drive them back. I'll go, if
you like, with Crawford and four men; six of us would keep a hundred at
bay."

"No, if any one goes, I will," said Rupert. "You are in command
remember, and must not leave the fortress. I am not quite certain that
it would be prudent, but the two Hottentots with the waggon have their
arms, and as they will fight bravely enough from behind a waggon, we may
reckon that our force will consist of eight men. It will assist to
convince the enemy that we have a large garrison in the fort."

As yet, however, no Zulus had appeared, and there seemed every
probability that the waggon would get in without being attacked. Though
Percy kept his glass turned generally towards the river, fully expecting
to catch sight of the Zulus passing across it, he occasionally directed
it towards their main body, which remained as before, stationary. He
had just pointed it in that direction, when he observed a movement among
the dark-skinned warriors. He saw several go to a height, and then set
off running at full speed towards the north. He pointed them out to
Rupert, who, as he looked through the telescope, exclaimed--

"What if they should be going to meet our father, who very likely may be
coming; or, if not, they may have caught sight of some messenger he has
sent. I trust that either one or the other may have seen them in time
and pushed on."

"I feel sure you are right," said Percy. "We must not let our mother
know, however, it will agitate her too much. I am very glad you did not
set off to meet the waggon. I'll tell you what we ought to do. We must
pull across in the boat, and be ready to receive whoever is coming. It
will be some time before the Zulus can reach the river; and I would
suggest that you and Crawford, with four men, go down, and while you and
he take the boat across, the others with their musk