ned my eyes we had gone through a pass into a
hollow of the hills. There was a flat space a mile or two square, and
all round it stern black ramparts of rock. This must be Inanda's
Kraal, a strong place if ever one existed, for a few men could defend
all the approaches. Considering that I had warned Arcoll of this
rendezvous, I marvelled that no attempt had been made to hold the
entrance. The place was impregnable unless guns were brought up to the
heights. I remember thinking of a story I had heard--how in the war
Beyers took his guns into the Wolkberg, and thereby saved them from our
troops. Could Arcoll be meditating the same exploit?

Suddenly I heard the sound of loud voices, and my litter was dropped
roughly on the ground. I woke to clear consciousness in the midst of
pandemonium.

CHAPTER XVI

INANDA'S KRAAL

The vow was at an end. In place of the silent army of yesterday a mob
of maddened savages surged around me. They were chanting a wild song,
and brandishing spears and rifles to its accompaniment. From their
bloodshot eyes stared the lust of blood, the fury of conquest, and all
the aboriginal passions on which Laputa had laid his spell. In my mind
ran a fragment from Laputa's prayer in the cave about the 'Terrible
Ones.' Machudi's men--stout fellows, they held their ground as long as
they could--were swept out of the way, and the wave of black savagery
seemed to close over my head.

I thought my last moment had come. Certainly it had but for Colin.
The bag had been taken from his head, and the fellow of Machudi's had
dropped the rope round his collar. In a red fury of wrath the dog
leaped at my enemies. Though every man of them was fully armed, they
fell back, for I have noticed always that Kaffirs are mortally afraid
of a white man's dog. Colin had the sense to keep beside me. Growling
like a thunderstorm he held the ring around my litter.

The breathing space would not have lasted long, but it gave me time to
get to my feet. My wrists and feet had been unbound long before, and
the rest had cured my leg-weariness. I stood up in that fierce circle
with the clear knowledge that my life hung by a hair.

'Take me to Inkulu,' I cried. 'Dogs and fools, would you despise his
orders? If one hair of my head is hurt, he will flay you alive. Show
me the way to him, and clear out of it.'

I dare say there was a break in my voice, for I was dismally
frightened, but there must have been su