o take in this than a diversion
occurred. Grunberger appeared from within his store bearing a strange
unwieldy object, followed by Driffield's Makalaka boy armed with a
crowbar. Both entered the stable, and but for the crackle of firing and
hissing and yells of the Matabele, a sound might have been heard like
that of drilling a hole in a mud wall. A moment later a sound was
heard; a roar from within the stable like that of a discharge of cannon,
together with the squealing and stamping of mules. A crowd of savages
who had been lurking there under secure cover, as they thought, awaiting
their chance, rushed helter-skelter forth to regain the main rank--and
not all reached it. Soon after, the German reappeared, choking with
laughter.

"Dot is one goot old shspring-gun," he explained. "I fill him up mit
black powder und loopers, den I make one leetle hole, und shtick him
through, ja so, mit de muzzle pointing upwards. _Herr Gott_! but de
Matabele think dot a cannon haf gone off."

"Well done, Grunberger, well done!" cried Lamont. "You're a man of
resource. They ought to have made you a colonel in your own army before
they'd done with you."

"_Ach, so_," said the old soldier, greatly pleased. "Well, I load him
up again. Dot place behind the stable they find no longer safe."

"What's the row, Driffield? Not hit?" cried Lamont sharply. For a
sudden fusillade had opened on that side, and the chips were flying
wildly from the mopani poles.

"Oh, I don't know," answered the Native Commissioner dazedly, staggering
back from one of the improvised loopholes. "At least--no--I think not."

A bullet had struck the barrel of his rifle, and the shock had produced
a numbing sensation, causing him to drop the weapon.

"N-no. I'm all right. It's only hit the shooter, blazes take it! It's
all right, too."

"What's this?" growled Peters. "They weren't firing before. I believe
they've been reinforced; like yesterday."

And as if to bear out his words, at that moment a furious rush was made
on the palisades from all sides, to the accompaniment of a perfect hail
of missiles, all fired high, and obviously with intent to confuse the
defenders, and cover the advance of a strong storming party. At the
same time the crashing of axes was heard against the poles on the side
where stood the store and dwelling-house--the side, to wit, where the
women and wounded were sheltered.

"Half of you here!" ordered Lamont in clear