our own, if
you have not time to load the gun again and shoot yourself, which is
easier."

I nodded, for it was in my mind to do these things. Never could I stand
still and see those poor Boers killed, and I knew that Marie would look
after herself.

Meanwhile, the Zulus were coming towards me, and the soldiers who had
charge of them were driving up Marais's people, making pretence to
thrust them through with their assegais, and shouting at them as men
do at cattle. Both parties arrived in the depression at about the same
time, but remained separated by a little space. In this space lay the
corpses of the murdered men and the two dead aasvogels, with Hans and
myself standing opposite to them.

"Well, little Son of George," puffed Dingaan, "you have lost your bet,
for you did but kill two vultures out of five with your magic, which
was good as far as it went, but not good enough. Now you must pay, as I
would have paid had you won."

Then he stretched out his hand, and issued the dreadful order of "Bulala
amalongu!" (Kill the white people). "Kill them one by one, that I may
see whether they know how to die, all except Macumazahn and the tall
girl, whom I keep."

Some of the soldiers made a dash and seized the Vrouw Prinsloo, who was
standing in front of the party.

"Wait a little, King," she called out as the assegais were lifted over
her. "How do you know that the bet is lost? He whom you call Macumazahn
hit that last vulture. It should be searched for before you kill us."

"What does the old woman say?" asked Dingaan, and Halstead translated
slowly.

"True," said Dingaan. "Well, now I will send her to search for the
vulture in the sky. Come back thence, Fat One, and tell us if you find
it."

The soldiers lifted their assegais, waiting the king's word. I pretended
to look at the ground, and cocked my rifle, being determined that if he
spoke it, it should be his last. Hans stared upwards--I suppose to avoid
the sight of death--then suddenly uttered a wild yell, which caused
everyone, even the doomed people, to turn their eyes to him. He was
pointing to the heavens, and they looked to see at what he pointed.

This was what they saw. Far, far above in that infinite sea of
blue there appeared a tiny speck, which his sharp sight had already
discerned, a speck that grew larger and larger as it descended with
terrific and ever-growing speed.

_It was the king vulture falling from the heavens--dead!_

Down it ca