ings would happen. Either the tube would refuse to slay at
all, or it would turn upon Machenga and kill him."

"Au! white man, that is not true, and when you speak lies you talk as a
fool," exclaimed my visitor, displaying much righteous indignation. "I
know, for I have seen the magic fire tubes before. Many moons ago--ay,
before you were born, and before Lomalindela was king--two white men
came into Mashonaland, and only one of them went out again. They, too,
possessed fire tubes, and one of them, an Amaboona (Boer)--the man who
did not go out--once put his fire tube into my hands and showed me how
to use it. The magic lies not in the tube itself, but in the few grains
of black powder that are poured into it and the round lump of metal that
is thrust down on the top of the powder. Au! I know. Though so many
moons have passed I remember quite well. Ay, and I remember many other
things also, things that happened here long before the Mashona arrived
in the land, things that happened when the Monomotapa dwelt here and
great cities of stone and brick covered the face of the country, when
men dug gold out of the rocks and made it into ornaments for the arms,
necks, and ankles of their women--"

"What foolishness is this that thou art talking?" I interrupted
angrily, for it was growing late and I was beginning to feel tired,
while there seemed to be no sign of an intention on the part of my
unwelcome visitor to leave. "Return now to Machenga," I continued,
"describe to him the gifts which I have set aside for him, and say that
if he will send thee for them to-morrow at sunrise they shall be his.
But if he wants them not, it is well: I have no others for him."

"Then thou wilt not give him one of thy fire tubes, with a supply of the
magic powder and enough of the round lumps of metal to kill one
hundred--pigeons?" demanded my visitor.

"I will not," I replied shortly, "and that is my last word."

"Au!" retorted the man. "Very well, white man, I hear thee and I go.
But it may be that to-morrow thou wilt be sorry that thou didst refuse."
And, so saying, he wrapped his kaross still more closely about him and
strode away into the moonlight with the light, springy step of a young
man.

As for me, I was now quite ready for bed, therefore I undressed and
turned in without further delay, expecting to fall asleep on the
instant. Yet I did nothing of the kind, for when I stretched myself out
upon my cartel I found my