r of lightening dawn. Their former
enemies, overwhelmed by sheer weight of numbers, entirely taken by
surprise, have not even time to rise and defend themselves. They are
struck down, ripped, before they can gain their feet and lay hand upon a
weapon. And they themselves? They, too, will be butchered in the
helplessness of their bonds, but it will be a swift and sudden death.

But somehow the tide of slaughter seems to surge round them, not over
them, to pass them by. What does it mean? That in the confusion and
uncertain light they are counted already dead as they lie there, but
even in that case these savages would inevitably rip them with their
spears? Something like a glimmer of hope seems to light up the despair
at their hearts, as it occurs to them that the surprise and massacre of
their enemies may mean ultimate rescue for themselves.

Yet who and what are these savages? They are for the most part men of
splendid physique, tall and straight, and of a red-brown colour, and
their features are of the negroid type. They carry great shields akin
to the Zulu, only more oval in shape, and more massive, and the latter
is also the case with regard to their short-handled stabbing spears, and
their battle-shout is a loud, harsh, inarticulate bark, indescribably
terrible when uttered simultaneously by many throats. Here, as uttered
by over a thousand, words can hardly express the blood-curdling menace
it conveys. But, while thus pondering, the attention of these new
arrivals is turned to themselves. Ha! now their time has come. With
ready spear two of the savages bend over them. The dark faces are grim
and pitiless, and the spears descend, but not to be sheathed in their
bodies. The tense thongs, severed in more places than one, fly from
them. Their limbs are free.

They could hardly realise it. They stared stupidly upward at the ring
of faces gazing down upon them. What did it mean? Then their glance
fell upon one among that vast increasing group of towering men. If that
was not the ghost of Kumbelwa, why it was Kumbelwa himself. And then a
string of the most extravagant _sibonga_, bursting from the warrior in
question, convinced them that this was indeed so.

"In truth, _Amakosi_," he concluded, "well was it for you that Mushad
preferred to take his revenge cool, else had these been too late."

"But--who are these, Kumbelwa?" said Haviland. "Not the People of the
Spider?" gazing at them with renew