's a grand chap!" exclaimed Oakley, as he gazed with
interest upon this martial figure. "Do they grow many like that in the
Zulu country, Haviland?"

"A good few, yes. Mind you, I'd sooner have Kumbelwa with me in a rough
and tumble than any dozen ordinary men."

"How did you pick him up? Save his life, or anything of that sort?"

"No. A sort of mutual attraction. We took to each other, and he wanted
to come away with me, that's all. D'you see that string of wooden beads
hung round his neck? That represents enemies killed, and I strongly
suspect most of them wore red coats, for, like every man-jack of his
nation, he fought against us in the war of '79. But wild horses
wouldn't drag from him that he had killed any of our people, and it's
the same with all of them. They're too polite. If you were to ask them
the question, they'd tell you they didn't know--there was too much
racket and confusion to be sure of anything. But--look at him now."

The Zulu, half squatted on his haunches, was going through a strange
performance. His rifle lay on the ground beside him, but his left hand
grasped his great war-shield, while with the right he was alternately
beating time with his assegai to his song, or making short, quick lunges
at empty air. For he was singing in a low, melodious, deep-voiced
chant. At him the whole crowd of bearers was gaping, in undisguised
admiration and awe.

"He's singing his war-song," explained Haviland. "I've never seen him
do this before any other row we've been in. Evidently he thinks this is
going to be a big thing."

"And he's right," said the doctor. "Look there?"

He pointed in the direction of their late halting-place. From their
present one, the ground fell away almost open, save for a few scattered
shrubs or a little heap of stones, to the thin timber line. Within this
forms could now be seen moving--more and more were coming on, until the
place was alive with them--and the gleam of arms, the light falling on
the blades of long spears and shining gun-barrels, scintillated above
and among the approaching force. And this was coming straight for their
position. Decidedly, our party had gained the latter none too soon.

As the new arrivals debouched from the timber, the three white men
scanned them anxiously through their field-glasses. The leaders, and a
goodly proportion, seemed to be pure blood Arabs, but the bulk consisted
of negroids and the undiluted negro--these la