lub. They are but lads, indeed, yet they have drunk wolf's milk."

Meanwhile, an aged man drew near to speak the word of onset; it was that
same man who had set out the law to Umslopogaas. He must give the signal
by throwing up a spear, and when it struck the ground, then the fight
would begin. The old man took the spear and threw it, but his hand was
weak, and he cast so clumsily that it fell among the sons of Jikiza, who
stood before Umslopogaas, causing them to open up to let it pass between
them, and drawing the eyes of all ten of them to it, but Umslopogaas
watched for the touching of the spear only, being careless where it
touched. As the point of it kissed the earth, he said a word, and lo!
Umslopogaas and Galazi, not waiting for the onslaught of the ten, as men
had thought they must, sprang forward, each at the line of foes who were
before him. While the ten still stood confused, for it had been their
plan to attack, the Wolf-Brethren were upon them. Groan-Maker was up,
but as for no great stroke. He did but peck, as a bird pecks with his
bill, and yet a man dropped dead. The Watcher also was up, but he fell
like a falling tree, and was the death of one. Through the lines of the
ten passed the Wolf-Brethren in the gaps that each had made. Then they
turned swiftly and charged towards each other again; again Groan-Maker
pecked, again the Watcher thundered, and lo! once more Umslopogaas stood
back to back unhurt, but before them lay four men dead.

The onslaught and the return were so swift, that men scarcely understood
what had been done; even those of the sons of Jikiza who were left
stared at each other wondering. Then they knew that they were but six,
for four of them were dead. With a shout of rage they rushed upon the
pair from both sides, but in either case one was the most eager, and
outstepped the other two, and thus it came about that time was given
the Wolf-Brethren to strike at him alone, before his fellows were at his
side. He who came at Umslopogaas drove at him with his spear, but he
was not to be caught this, for he bent his middle sideways, so that the
spear only cut his skin, and as he bent tapped with the point of the axe
at the head of the smiter, dealing death on him.

"Yonder Woodpecker has a bill of steel, and he can use it well," said
the councillor to him who stood by him.

"This is a Slaughterer indeed," the man answered, and the people heard
the names. Thenceforth they knew Umslopogaas