en sorry to
have risked a large sum on either of them. It was a battle of giants.

I confess to watching the contest with a very keen interest. The Zulus
standing around, were still as bronze as they craned eagerly forward to
watch this, to them, absolutely novel form of battle. My people
standing exactly where they had been, were no less interested
spectators. At last I thought to detect a sign of weakening on the part
of the enemy. Youth and science was beginning to tell against sheer
strength. Norbury must have realised this, for shaking his head like a
bull about to charge, he hurled himself forward for a final effort,
striking out with terrific force. Falkner got it full on the forehead,
but managed to keep up. The other staggered back, and then as he was
about to make another rush I saw his right hand go behind him.

"Drop that!" I said sharply bringing round the butt end of my whipstick
upon the wrist. With a howl of rage he complied literally, as the
sheath knife which he had just drawn leapt from his hand. I put my foot
on it just as Falkner, rushing in, knocked him fairly and squarely out.

"Two to one, you blanked cowards," he snarled, in between curses, as he
picked himself unsteadily up, half stunned as he was. "That your idea
of fair play, is it?"

"And this is your idea of fair play?" I said, holding up the knife. It
had a good eight-inch blade and was ground like a razor. "Why you
infernal murderer, did you think I was going to stand by and see you use
it?"

"You're a liar," he answered. "I never pulled it. You knocked it out
of its sheath yourself, just for an excuse to pack on to me two to one."

"Liar yourself," I said. "You'd pulled it all right. Now clear out,
and by the Lord, if you try any dog tricks on us by way of being even
we'll shoot, you understand. This is outside British jurisdiction, you
know. So look out."

He gave me a look that was positively devilish, and which his battered
and blood-smeared countenance did not soften, you may be sure.

"Look out yourself," he retorted furiously. "What sort of a man are you
to come in and try to sneak another man's trade? I was here first, I
tell you."

"That's all right. But you might as well have made sure I was trying to
sneak your trade first. Instead of that you come charging up to me at
the head of about a hundred armed scoundrels and start a game of bounce.
Did you think I was going to turn my waggons, and tre