crowd, with the fear of the former
explosion before its eyes, could stand it no longer. It backed,
stumbled--then half turned.

"We withdraw, Lamonti, we withdraw," cried a voice.

"Withdraw then. This fire is nearly burnt out. Then follows the
rending of the earth."

Swiftly, almost at a run, the badly frightened crowd, which a moment
since had been bellowing for his blood, moved away, not halting to look
back until it had reached a very respectable distance indeed. With
difficulty Lamont restrained a hysterical roar of laughter.

"A near thing, Father," he said to his companion. "But for that idea of
mine they would have rushed the place. We are not out of the wood yet
though. Hallo--what new excitement can be in the wind now?"

For among those who had just been giving trouble a new hubbub had
arisen, but this time their retreat was not its object, for glances were
turned in the opposite direction, and now among the varying
vociferations could be descried the word `Amakiwa.' And then, away
beyond the stony ridge, rose the muffled, dropping roar of firearms.
One of these two white men the sound thrilled like the thrill of
harp-strings.

Beneath, in the hollow, excitement became intense on every hand. Groups
of warriors springing from nowhere, armed, were moving off in the
direction of the sound; the large body by which they had just been
threatened had already gone. Again and again that dropping volley--
somewhat nearer--and now from a new direction--and this time quite near,
a renewed roar.

"D'you hear that?" cried Lamont, eager with repressed excitement. "We
could almost join these, only we don't know how many Matabele there may
be between us and them."

Ujojo and the other guards were no more impervious to the prevailing
excitement. They were pointing eagerly, this way and that way, and
taking in all the different points at which warriors were posted among
the rocks to give the invaders a warm reception. That a large force of
whites was advancing was manifest by the heaviness of the fire, which
was now heard on the three open sides of the place.

A little more of this, and still nearer and nearer drew the three lines
of fire, the nearest of all being that on their own side; and now,
warriors, by twos and threes, rifle in hand, were seen flitting by,
clearly in full retreat or to take up some new position. And, around
these, spits of dust from the invaders' bullets were already beginning
to