ehind the others, they beheld the enemy
approaching the spot that had been relinquished by the Makololo,
apparently eager for a conflict.

There was no longer a doubt of the real object of their visit. They had
come for the purpose of taking vengeance. Their cries and angry
gestures proclaimed it; and, without waiting to see or hear more, the
young hunters put spurs to their steeds and joined Macora in the
retreat.

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

THE RETREAT.

Macora and his party were in hopes that the pursuit might not be
continued far,--that the enemy, satisfied in having broken up their camp
and driven them off the ground, would return to their own country.

In this hope they were doomed to disappointment. It turned out that
those in pursuit of them formed an expedition sent out by Moselekatse
for the purpose of extending his dominion and there was not the least
likelihood that the tyrant would relinquish his object until he had
obtained success. This soon became the conviction of Macora; and he
lost no time in hastening back to his home, and preparing for the
invasion.

As the Makololo are of a race superior to most other South African
tribes, the young hunters were surprised to see the feeling of alarm
exhibited by them on learning that on of Moselekatse's armies was
advancing to attack them. In place of preparing to resist the
approaching foe, a majority of the Makololo seemed only to contemplate
flight.

A little information from Macora concerning Moselekatse was a
satisfactory explanation of this mystery. He informed his white guests
that the Matabili--that is, the people of Moselekatse--were the greatest
warriors in Southern Africa,--that Moselekatse, their king, could
command five thousand men, and that frequently his orders to the
officers who led them to battle were to give no quarter to the enemy.
Macora admitted that his own people were not cowards, but that he could
not maintain a war against such a king as Moselekatse. He was quite
certain that, should they make a stand and give battle to the foe, at
least one half of his tribe would be killed. They would moreover be
stripped of all their property, and what was left of the tribe would
have to become slaves of the tyrant, and look after his cattle. There
was but one way of holding their own with Moselekatse; and that was to
remove everything of any value beyond his reach. By this means had
Macora and his people maintained their independen