ld not speak. Recovering, he told that he had just escaped
from a band of two hundred Fetcani warriors, who were even then on their
way to attack the town.

Instantly all was uproar and confusion. The warriors, seizing their
shields and spears, sallied forth under their chief to meet the enemy--a
few of the youngest being left behind to guard the women and children.
A party of the Hottentots under Kenneth McTavish also remained to guard
the town, while the rest set off to aid the Kafirs. They were
compelled, however, to ride back a short distance to meet the waggons,
and obtain a supply of ammunition. Thus a little time was lost, and
before they could reach the scene of action the Kafirs had met with the
Fetcani warriors, been thoroughly beaten, and put to flight.

On the appearance, however, of the horsemen the pursuers halted.

"Now, lads," cried Groot Willem, "a steady volley and a charge home will
send them to the right about."

"Better fire over their heads," said Orpin earnestly. "We are not at
war with these men. Let us not kill if we can help it."

"I agree with that heartily," cried Charlie Considine.

"So do I," said Hans. "Depend on't the sound will suffice for men who
perhaps never saw fire-arms before."

"Quite right, Maister Marais," said Sandy Black, with grave approval,
"an' if oor charge is only heeded by Groot Willem an' Jerry Goldboy,
tak' my word for't thae Fit-canny craters'll flee like chaff before the
wund."

"Very good," said Groot Willem, with a grin.--"Come along, Jerry."

The dauntless little man answered the summons with delight, and the
whole party approached the wondering Fetcani at a trot. Halting when
within about eighty yards, they fired a volley from horseback over the
heads of the enemy. Then, through the smoke, they charged at full speed
like thunderbolts, Groot Willem roaring like a mad buffalo-bull, Jerry
Goldboy shrieking like a wounded elephant, and energising fearfully with
legs, arms, reins, and blunderbuss, while the others shouted or laughed
in wild excitement.

The Fetcani, as Sandy Black had prophesied, could not stand it. Turning
their backs to the foe, they fled as only panic-stricken and naked
niggers _can_ fly, and were soon scattered and lost in the jungle.

While this was going on far out on the plain, Kenneth McTavish had much
ado to keep the people quiet in the town--so great was their dread of
falling into the hands of the ferocious Fetcani. B