eered this way and that; then, seeing nothing, stood
awhile in the mouth of the glen waiting the coming of their company; and
their words came to the ears of Umslopogaas.

"An awful place this, my brother," said one. "A place full of ghosts and
strange sounds, of hands that seem to press us back, and whinings as of
invisible wolves. It is named Ghost Mountain, and well named. Would
that the king had found other business for us than the slaying of these
sorcerers--for they are sorcerers indeed, and this is the home of their
sorceries. Tell me, brother, what was that which leaped between us this
morning in the dark! I say it was a wizard. Wow! they are all wizards.
Could any who was but a man have done the deeds which he who is named
the Wolf wrought down by the river yonder, and then have escaped? Had
the Axe but stayed with the Club they would have eaten up our impi."

"The Axe had a woman to watch," laughed the other. "Yes, it is true this
is a place of wizards and evil things. Methinks I see the red eyes of
the Esedowana glaring at us through the dark of the trees and smell
their smell. Yet these wizards must be caught, for know this, my
brother: if we return to Umgugundhlovu with the king's command undone,
then there are stakes hardening in the fire of which we shall taste the
point. If we are all killed in the catching, and some, it seems, are
missing already, yet they must be caught. Say, my brother, shall we draw
on? The impi is nigh. Would that Faku, our captain yonder, might find
two others to take our place, for in this thicket I had rather run last
than first. Well, here leads the spoor--a wondrous mass of wolf-spoor
mixed with the footprints of men; perhaps they are sometimes the one and
sometimes the other--who knows, my brother? It is a land of ghosts and
wizards. Let us on! Let us on!"

Now all this while the Wolf-Brethren had much ado to keep their people
quiet, for their mouths watered and their eyes shone at the sight of the
men, and at length it could be done no more, for with a howl a single
she-wolf rushed from her laid and leapt at the throat of the man who
spoke, nor did she miss her grip. Down went wolf and man, rolling
together on the ground, and there they killed each other.

"The Esedowana! the Esedowana are upon us!" cried the other scout,
and, turning, fled towards the impi. But he never reached it, for with
fearful howlings the ghost-wolves broke their cover and rushed on him
from the rig