ll be of the
best, if, indeed, they do not run before the fangs of the Grey People.
Now, Chief, speak your word that I may obey it."

Thus Galazi spoke in the circle of the wolves, while Umslopogaas leaned
upon his Axe Groan-Maker, and listened to him, ay, and wept as he
listened, for after the Lily and me, Mopo, he loved Galazi most dearly
of all who lived. Then he answered:--

"Were it not for one in the cave above, who is helpless and tender, I
would swear to you, Wolf, that if you fall, on your carcase I will die;
and I do swear that, should you fall, while I live Groan-Maker shall
be busy from year to year till every man of yonder impi is as you are.
Perchance I did ill, Galazi, when first I hearkened to the words of
Zinita and suffered women to come between us. May we one day find a land
where there are no women, and war only, for in that land we shall
grow great. But now, at the least, we will make a good end to this
fellowship, and the Grey People shall fight their fill, and the old
Witch who sits aloft waiting for the world to die shall smile to see
that fight, if she never smiled before. This is my word: that we fall
upon the men of Dingaan twice, once in the glade of the forest whither
they will come presently, and, if we are beaten back, then we must stand
for the last time on the knees of the Witch in front of the cave where
Nada is. Say, Wolf, will the Grey Folk fight?"

"To the last, brother, so long as one is left to lead them, after that
I do not know! Still they have only fangs to set against spears.
Slaughterer, your plan is good. Come, I am rested."

So they rose and numbered their flock, and all were there, though it
was not as it had been years ago when first the Wolf-Brethren hunted
on Ghost Mountain; for many of the wolves had died by men's spears when
they harried the kraals of men, and no young were born to them. Then,
as once before, the pack was halved, and half, the she-wolves, went with
Umslopogaas, and half, the dog-wolves, went with Galazi.

Now they passed down the forest paths and hid in the tangle of the
thickets at the head of the darksome glen, one on each side of the glen.
Here they waited till they heard the footfall of the impi of the king's
Slayers, as it came slowly along seeking them. In front of the impi went
two soldiers watching for an ambush, and these two men were the same who
had talked together that dawn when Galazi sprang between them. Now also
they spoke as they p