d us successfully; it is lucky they did not attack us last
night at the waggons; we should all have been slaughtered if they had
done so, as we should have been taken by surprise."

"Yes, it is lucky," said Victor; "and I don't see how we could have
escaped better than we have done, for, except that cut on your horse's
flank and a stab in Heinrich's horse's neck, we were untouched, whilst
we must have killed and wounded nearly fifty of the Matabili."

"Yes, we were fortunate," replied Hans; "but I wish we were two hundred
miles from here, with our waggons safely across the mountains. Here
comes 'Nquane, and he seems in a hurry."

No sooner did the Kaffir recognise the hunters than he ran towards them
with the greatest eagerness, making all manner of signals. As soon as
he came within speaking distance, he said--

"Chiefs, the Matabili came upon us at the waggons; they have killed
Copen and Jack, and carried off all the oxen and horses. Oh, it is bad
for us?"

Exclamations of anger and surprise were uttered by the hunters as they
heard this intelligence; for they knew that without oxen all the wealth
in their waggons was worthless, and could be carried off at any time by
Moselekatse's warriors, whenever they chose to come.

"How many Matabili were there?" inquired Hans.

The Kaffir opened and closed his two hands five times, thus indicating
there were about fifty men.

"Only fifty!" exclaimed Hans. "Let us after them at once; surely we can
beat away fifty Matabili; it is only ten apiece. You go back to the
waggons, 'Nquane, and wait there; we will soon bring you back the oxen."

The hunters immediately spurred on their horses, and rode rapidly in the
direction which the marauders had taken; and having ascended a conical
hill, Hans by the aid of his telescope discovered the oxen and their
capturers moving rapidly over the open country, and distant scarcely two
miles.

"A beautiful open country," exclaimed Hans; "just the place for a fight
on horseback, and we will give them a lesson of what we `Mensch' can
do."

Seeing that there was little or no bush before the Matabili, into which
they could effect their escape, the hunters did not distress their
steeds by too great a speed; but cantering steadily onwards they were
soon seen by the Matabili, who, leaving two of their number to drive the
horses and oxen, then spread out in open order, beating their shields
and shouting their defiance.

The horses ridd