"Thou dog and whelp of a dog!" hissed the King, as, with the rapidity of
lightning, he dropped aside his skin robe and hurled a casting assegai
at me. It grazed my head with a vicious "zip!" and buried itself in the
side of the house, where it stuck quivering.

I did not move. Not a word did I speak, yet I felt that death and
myself were closely shoulder to shoulder once more.

"Well, dog! Hast thou no word to say?" went on Umzilikazi, his hand
gripping another casting spear.

"Yes, I have a `word,' Great Great One. My life is ever in the hand of
the King. But now I know of no reason why it should be taken," I
answered boldly.

"No reason? _Au_! Can a nation serve two Kings, Untuswa, my dog?" he
mocked.

"Now have the dreams of the Elephant been bad--now have the ears of the
Great Great One been filled with dark and false things. Moreover, I
know well that it was not really in thy mind to slay me, Father; else
had yon spear been buried in something very different to the grass wall
of the house," I ended, with my usual boldness, which was so great as
sometimes to astonish myself nearly as much as it did those who
witnessed it. But it was in the minds of men that I should never now be
slain by order of the Great Great One, because I held the King's
Assegai. Yet upon this I did not put overmuch trust.

"You have a ready tongue, Untuswa, and a ready wit," said Umzilikazi, no
longer wrathfully. "The word is true, and well said, for I could hardly
miss a man at that distance, even though there are some who think it is
time to find a new King."

These last words were spoken low. I had heard enough from old Masuka
not to require to ask their meaning. Yet I spoke in surprise and
disgust, at the thought that such a thing should be possible.

"What is your thought on the matter, Untuswa?" said the King softly,
eyeing me with his head on one side.

"_Au_! that is not a question to ask of me, Great Great One; for was I
not on my way hither to point out those who think thus?" I said.

He started eagerly.

"Can you do this, Untuswa? Can you point them out?"

"I can, Great Great One. Shall I silently call together the slayers?
The pool beyond Ncwelo's kraal is not far, and the moon will not take
long to sink now. In the morning its water shall be red."

"Ha! The pool beyond Ncwelo's?" muttered the King. "Wait. Call not
together the slayers, for I will see these evil-doers with my own eyes,
will h