be the first after him among the People of the Axe, and as he
called, he walked slowly down the line scanning the faces of all, till
he came to where Galazi stood leaning on the Watcher.

"Here is a great fellow who bears a great club," said Umslopogaas. "How
are you named, fellow?"

"I am named Wolf," answered Galazi.

"Say, now, Wolf, are you willing to stand back to back with me in this
fray of two against ten? If victory is ours, you shall be next to me
amongst this people."

"Better I love the wild woods and the mountain's breast than the kraals
of men and the kiss of wives, Axebearer," answered Galazi. "Yet, because
you have shown yourself a warrior of might, and to taste again of the
joy of battle, I will stand back to back with you, Axebearer, and see
this matter ended."

"A bargain, Wolf!" cried Umslopogaas. And they walked side by side--a
mighty pair!--till they came to the centre of the cattle kraal. All
there looked on them wondering, and it came into the thoughts of some
of them that these were none other than the Wolf-Brethren who dwelt upon
the Ghost Mountain.

"Now axe Groan-maker and club Watcher are come together, Galazi," said
Umslopogaas as they walked, "and I think that few can stand before
them."

"Some shall find it so," answered Galazi. "At the least, the fray will
be merry, and what matter how frays end?"

"Ah," said Umslopogaas, "victory is good, but death ends all and is best
of all."

Then they spoke of the fashion in which they would fight, and
Umslopogaas looked curiously at the axe he carried, and at the point on
its hammer, balancing it in his hand. When he had looked long, the pair
took their stand back to back in the centre of the kraal, and people saw
that Umslopogaas held the axe in a new fashion, its curved blade being
inwards towards his breast, and the hollow point turned towards the foe.
The ten brethren gathered themselves together, shaking their assegais;
five of them stood before Umslopogaas and five before Galazi the Wolf.
They were all great men, made fierce with rage and shame.

"Now nothing except witchcraft can save these two," said a councillor to
one who stood by him.

"Yet there is virtue in the axe," answered the other, "and for the club,
it seems that I know it: I think it is named Watcher of the Fords, and
woe to those who stand before the Watcher. I myself have seen him aloft
when I was young; moreover, these are no cravens who hold the axe and
the c