s willing to die that the other might go free. Therefore,
both of them stepped forward, saying that they would fight the Zulu.

"What, is there honour among pigs?" said Chaka. "Then I will settle it.
See this assegai? I throw it into the air; if the blade falls uppermost
the tall man shall go free; if the shaft falls uppermost, then life is
to the short one, so!" And he sent the little spear whirling round and
round in the air. Every eye watched it as it wheeled and fell. The haft
struck the ground first.

"Come hither, thou," said Chaka to the tall brother. "Hasten back to
the kraal of Makedama, and say to him, Thus says Chaka, the Lion of the
Zulu-ka-Malandela, 'Years ago thy tribe refused me milk. To-day the dog
of thy son Mopo howls upon the roof of thy hut.' Begone!" (1)

(1) Among the Zulus it is a very bad omen for a dog to climb the roof
of a hut. The saying conveyed a threat to be appreciated by every
Zulu.--ED.

The man turned, shook his brother by the hand, and went, bearing the
words of evil omen.

Then Chaka called to the Zulu and the last of those who had followed
us to kill us, bidding them fight. So, when they had praised the prince
they fought fiercely, and the end of it was that the man of my people
conquered the Zulu. But as soon as he had found his breath again he was
set to run for his life, and after him ran five chosen men.

Still, it came about that he outran them, doubling like a hare, and got
away safely. Nor was Chaka angry at this; for I think that he bade the
men who hunted him to make speed slowly. There was only one good thing
in the cruel heart of Chaka, that he would always save the life of a
brave man if he could do so without making his word nothing. And for my
part, I was glad to think that the man of my people had conquered him
who murdered the children of the dying woman that we found at the kraal
beyond the river.

CHAPTER V. MOPO BECOMES THE KING'S DOCTOR

These, then, my father, were the events that ended in the coming of me,
Mopo, and of my sister Baleka to the kraal of Chaka, the Lion of the
Zulu. Now you may ask why have I kept you so long with this tale, which
is as are other tales of our people. But that shall be seen, for from
these matters, as a tree from a seed, grew the birth of Umslopogaas
Bulalio, Umslopogaas the Slaughterer, and Nada the Beautiful, of whose
love my story has to tell. For Nada was my daughter, and Umslopogaas,
though few knew it,