pon his
knees.

But at this time the matter went no further, for that instant there
rose from the regiments pressing round us something like a shout of
dismay, and on looking up I saw the cause.

To the right and to the left the plain was alive with the plumes of
charging warriors. The outflanking squadrons had come to our relief.
The time could not have been better chosen. All Twala's army, as Ignosi
predicted would be the case, had fixed their attention on the bloody
struggle which was raging round the remnant of the Greys and that of
the Buffaloes, who were now carrying on a battle of their own at a
little distance, which two regiments had formed the chest of our army.
It was not until our horns were about to close upon them that they had
dreamed of their approach, for they believed these forces to be hidden
in reserve upon the crest of the moon-shaped hill. And now, before they
could even assume a proper formation for defence, the outflanking
_Impis_ had leapt, like greyhounds, on their flanks.

In five minutes the fate of the battle was decided. Taken on both
flanks, and dismayed at the awful slaughter inflicted upon them by the
Greys and Buffaloes, Twala's regiments broke into flight, and soon the
whole plain between us and Loo was scattered with groups of running
soldiers making good their retreat. As for the hosts that had so
recently surrounded us and the Buffaloes, they melted away as though by
magic, and presently we were left standing there like a rock from which
the sea has retreated. But what a sight it was! Around us the dead and
dying lay in heaped-up masses, and of the gallant Greys there remained
but ninety-five men upon their feet. More than three thousand four
hundred had fallen in this one regiment, most of them never to rise
again.

"Men," said Infadoos calmly, as between the intervals of binding a
wound on his arm he surveyed what remained to him of his corps, "ye
have kept up the reputation of your regiment, and this day's fighting
will be well spoken of by your children's children." Then he turned
round and shook Sir Henry Curtis by the hand. "Thou art a great
captain, Incubu," he said simply; "I have lived a long life among
warriors, and have known many a brave one, yet have I never seen a man
like unto thee."

At this moment the Buffaloes began to march past our position on the
road to Loo, and as they went a message was brought to us from Ignosi
requesting Infadoos, Sir Henry, and myse