ocks. It was Zikali, no other!

Quite unattended, and naked save for his moocha, for he had on him none
of the ordinary paraphernalia of the witch-doctor, he waddled forward
with a curious toad-like gait till he had passed through the Councillors
and stood in the open space of the ring. Halting there, he looked about
him slowly with his deep-set eyes, turning as he looked, till at length
his glance fell upon the King.

"What would you have of me, Son of Senzangakona?" he asked. "Many years
have passed since last we met. Why do you drag me from my hut, I who
have visited the kraal of the King of the Zulus but twice since the
'Black One' [Chaka] sat upon the throne--once when the Boers were killed
by him who went before you, and once when I was brought forth to see
all who were left of my race, shoots of the royal Dwandwe stock, slain
before my eyes. Do you bear me hither that I may follow them into the
darkness, O Child of Senzangakona? If so I am ready; only then I have
words to say that it may not please you to hear."

His deep, rumbling voice echoed into silence, while the great audience
waited for the King's answer. I could see that they were all afraid of
this man, yes, even Panda was afraid, for he shifted uneasily upon his
stool. At length he spoke, saying:

"Not so, O Zikali. Who would wish to do hurt to the wisest and most
ancient man in all the land, to him who touches the far past with one
hand and the present with the other, to him who was old before our
grandfathers began to be? Nay, you are safe, you on whom not even the
'Black One' dared to lay a finger, although you were his enemy and he
hated you. As for the reason why you have been brought here, tell it
to us, O Zikali. Who are we that we should instruct you in the ways of
wisdom?"

When the dwarf heard this he broke into one of his great laughs.

"So at last the House of Senzangakona acknowledges that I have wisdom.
Then before all is done they will think me wise indeed."

He laughed again in his ill-omened fashion and went on hurriedly, as
though he feared that he should be called upon to explain his words:

"Where is the fee? Where is the fee? Is the King so poor that he expects
an old Dwandwe doctor to divine for nothing, just as though he were
working for a private friend?"

Panda made a motion with his hand, and ten fine heifers were driven into
the circle from some place where they had been kept in waiting.

"Sorry beasts!" said Zikali