guns? Our only hope now is that when he
hears it he will march straight back; but, even if he does, I fear that
the Zulus will be too strong for him. The whole force which he has with
him is no stronger than that which has been crushed here, and I don't
expect the native regiments can make much stand if attacked by such a
tremendously strong force."

So long as the daylight lasted, the boys, peering occasionally over,
could see the Zulus at the work of plundering. All the sacks and
barrels were taken from the waggons and cut or broken open, each man
taking as much as he could carry of the tea, sugar, flour, and other
necessaries; many of the yoke-oxen were assegaied at once, and cut up
and eaten, the rest being driven off towards the north by a party of
warriors.

At nightfall the tents were set on fire; they soon burnt out, and the
boys could no longer see what was taking place. Rising from the
shelter, they walked back to the other side of the crest.

"I can hear firing now," Dick said; "it seems to me that it is back at
Rorke's Drift."

They were soon sure that they were not mistaken; as it grew darker a
flittering light was seen in that direction, and a continued fire of
distant musketry was heard. Later on there was a broad glare in the
sky.

"I fear it is all over there too," Dick said, "and that the place has
been burnt."

Still, however, the firing continued, as heavy as ever, and long on into
the night the lads sat listening to it. At last they fell asleep, and
when they awoke the sun was already high. Thus they missed their chance
of escape.

At nine o'clock in the evening Lord Chelmsford's force, hearing at last
what had happened, marched back into the camp, and before day had fairly
broken continued their way down to Rorke's Drift. The defenders here, a
little garrison, under Lieutenant Bromhead of the 24th, and Chard of the
Royal Artillery, had made an heroic defence against some 4000 of the
enemy. With mealy bags and boxes they built up a breastwork, and this
they held all night, in spite of the desperate efforts of the Zulus to
capture it. The hospital, which stood at one end of the intrenchment,
was carried and burnt by the Zulus, but the little garrison held out
till morning in an inner intrenchment round the store-house.

Here was seen what could be done in the way of defence by the aid of
hastily-thrown-up intrenchments; and had breastworks been erected at
Isandula, as they ought