s to possess himself of the
weapon which quite overcame his caution, he sprang from behind the tree
and grasped the arrow which he at once saw amidst the dry leaves and
grass. Victor, who was watching the result of this, saw the act of the
Bushman, and instantly lowering his gun, he discharged a bullet at him.
True to its direction, the bullet struck the Bushman on the shoulder,
and passing through his arm, rendered him incapable of again using his
bow. The wounded man had not much compassion from his captors; for the
Matabili, seeing he could no longer be of service of them, and having a
natural hatred of Bushmen, instantly despatched him with their spears,
intimating to the remaining Bushman that unless he succeeded in shooting
the white men, he would soon meet the same fate as his companion.

Scarcely had the two men taken their eyes off the tree behind which the
Bushman had been killed, when Katrine's voice and words caused them to
look on the plain to the eastward of their position.

"Hans, Hans!" she called, "look what is coming: there are more Matabili.
Are there not two hundred more at least coming to help those who are
now here? What can we do?"

Hans and Victor looked towards the east, and there saw a large body of
Matabili coming rapidly over the plains, and evidently directed, by some
guide, towards their present position.

"They will be too many for us, Victor, I am afraid; what are we to do
now, I wonder?"

"Keep down, Hans! keep down!" said Victor; "see what is in your hat!"

Hans instinctively crouched behind the breastwork, and taking off his
hat, saw in the crown a Bushman's arrow.

"There's another struck the rock behind us; we must shoot this fellow
any how, he is savage now that his brother is killed. There he is,
Victor, in that fork of the tree, the rascal, he may hit us from there;
but here goes for two ounces of lead in him." The loud report of Hans'
gun was followed by the dull sound of the Bushman's body falling to the
ground, he being dead before he reached it. From the plain, however, a
savage vengeful yell answered the report of the gun, and the additional
party of Matabili rushed onwards, their shouts being responded to by
their companions around Hans' stronghold.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

BERNHARD'S JOURNEY--HIS SUCCESS--TO THE RESCUE.

Bernhard, upon leaving his companions at the resting-place where the
lion had killed the Matabili spy, rode on with speed; he knew that the