th, for with stones, arrows and throwing spears they put up
such a formidable defence that at close quarters these primitive
weapons held their own against the rifles and bayonets of the German
black troops.

For several moments the contest swayed with varying success until more
Rhodesians, who could now be spared from the front on which the main
assault had been repulsed, doubled up and made such good use of their
rifles that the enemy broke and fled, leaving behind forty or fifty of
their number lying dead in front of the stockade.

"Guess they've had enough," remarked Rupert Wilmshurst, who
notwithstanding his weak state had played a strong part in the defence.

"Doubt it," replied his brother. "Perhaps they won't make another
frontal attack while daylight lasts, but when it's dark they'll try
their luck."

The hours passed slowly. Occasional bursts of machine-gun fire
punctuated the continuous rifle-firing from the men concealed in the
bush. It was a prodigious waste of ammunition without any good result,
for the white men were too hardened to be shaken by the moral effect of
bullets whizzing overhead, while the native warriors, taking the
pattern set by their allies, showed no signs of fear or panic.

"If we only had a machine-gun," thought Dudley. "By Jove, I've a mind
to have a shot at bringing in one of those brutes after dark."

He broached the matter to the patrol commander, who gave permission to
any of his men to volunteer for the hazardous enterprise. There was no
lack of aspirants, for practically every man expressed his wish to take
part in the sortie. Finally the subaltern chose three Rhodesians and
his Haussa sergeant.

Taking a compass bearing of the position of one of the machine-guns,
for the cloud of steam arising from its overheated water-jacket
disclosed its place of concealment, Wilmshurst made a careful note of
the fact for subsequent use. There was, of course, the possibility of
the machine-gun being moved as soon as night fell, but that was a risk
that the sallying party must be prepared to chance.

Darkness came, but the desultory hostile fire was still maintained, the
bush being pin-pricked with the vivid flashes from the rifles. It was
now a nerve-racking ordeal, for more than once the defenders issued
from their trench and manned the outer palisade under the erroneous
impression that another attack was developing.

"It's a jolly good thing for us that they haven't any bom