sides of the laager with a flanking fire, should
it be attacked. The position of the waggons was a dangerous one, as the
ground rose immediately behind them, and was covered with bush.

In the middle of the night of the 11th Umbelleni's men arose, and,
accompanied by the boys, started from the kraal, and Dick and Tom were
filled with forebodings of what was about to happen. Dick had already
gathered from the natives that the guard of the waggons was an extremely
small one, and, as the body moving to attack them were between 4000 and
5000 strong, the chance of a successful resistance appeared small.

When within a short distance of the waggons two of the Zulus motioned to
the boys to stop. In ten minutes they heard a sentry challenge; his
shout was answered by a loud yell, and the Zulus poured down to the
attack. Unfortunately Captain Moriarty had not taken sufficient
precaution against surprise, and before the men were fairly under arms
the Zulus were upon them.

The force on the other side of the river were now on the alert, and
their rifle-fire opened before that of the defenders of the waggons.
For a moment or two there was a sharp rattling fire from the waggons;
then there were shouts and screams, the firing ceased, and the boys knew
that the laager had been captured. Many of the soldiers indeed were
assegaied before they could leave their tents, most were slaughtered at
once, but a few managed to swim across the river. The Zulus swarmed
after them. Lieutenant Harwood jumped upon his horse and rode off to
Luneberg to fetch assistance. The little detachment was broken by the
rush of the Zulus, but a serjeant and eight men fell back into a
deserted kraal, and succeeded in repelling the attacks of the enemy.

Lieutenant Harwood was afterwards tried by court-martial for his
conduct; he was acquitted, but the general in command refused to confirm
the verdict, and the commander-in-chief at home approved of the view he
took of the matter, and issued a general order to the effect that "An
officer, being the only one present with a party of soldiers actually
engaged with the enemy, is not under any pretext whatever justified in
deserting them, and thus by so doing abandoning them to their fate."

Apprehensive of the arrival of reinforcements from Luneberg, Umbelleni
did not continue his attack upon the little party in the kraal, but,
after hastily plundering the waggons, retreated with his force, and the
next da