ns," I added, "that those Amahagger cannibals have
forgotten their caution and lit a fire yonder, which they have not done
for a long time. Perhaps you would like to know why this has happened.
If so I will tell you. It is because for some days past I have purposely
lost their spoor, which they knew we were following, and lit fires to
puzzle them. Now, thinking that they have done with us, they have become
incautious and shown us where they are. That is my reason, Hans."

He heard and, although of course he did not believe that I had lost the
spoor on purpose, stared at me till I thought his little eyes were going
to drop out of his head. But even in his admiration he contrived to
convey an insult as only a native can.

"How wonderful is the Great Medicine of the Opener-of-Roads, that it
should have been able thus to instruct the Baas," he said. "Without
doubt the Great Medicine is right and yonder those men-eaters are
encamped, who might just as well as have been anywhere else within a
hundred miles."

"Drat the Great Medicine," I replied, but beneath my breath, then added
aloud,

"Be so good, Hans, as to go to Umslopogaas and to tell him that
Macumazahn, or the Great Medicine, proposes to march at once to attack
the camp of the Amahagger, and--here is some tobacco."

"Yes, Baas," answered Hans humbly, as he snatched the tobacco and
wriggled away like a worm.

Then I went to talk with Robertson.

The end of it was that within an hour we were creeping across that
valley towards the spot where I had seen the line of smoke rising
against the twilight sky.

Somewhere about midnight we reached the neighbourhood of this place. How
near or how far we were from it, we could not tell since the moon was
invisible, as of course the smoke was in the dark. Now the question was,
what should we do?

Obviously there would be enormous advantages in a night attack, or at
least in locating the enemy, so that it might be carried out at dawn
before he marched. Especially was this so, since we were scarcely in a
condition even if we could come face to face with them, to fight these
savages when they were prepared and in the light of day. Only we two
white men, with Hans, Umslopogaas and his Zulus, could be relied upon
in such a case, since the Strathmuir mixed-bloods had become entirely
demoralised and were not to be trusted at a pinch. Indeed, tired and
half starving as we were, none of us was at his best. Therefore a
surprise