ashamed. But, Yellow Man, how comes it that you who, I have been told, are cunning, watch your master so ill?
I was asleep,
stuttered Hans indignantly.
Those who serve should never sleep,
replied Umslopogaas sternly. Then he turned and whistled, and behold! out of the long grass that grew at a little distance, emerged twelve great men, all of them bearing axes and wearing cloaks of hyena skins, who saluted me by raising their axes.
Set a watch and skin me this beast by dawn. It will make us a mat,
said Umslopogaas, whereon again they saluted silently and melted away.
Who are these?
I asked.
A few picked warriors whom I brought with me, Macumazahn. There were one or two more, but they got lost on the way.
Then we went to the waggon and spoke no more that night.
Next morning I told Umslopogaas of the visit I had received from the Induna of the King who wished me to come to the royal kraal. He nodded and said,
As it chances certain thieves attacked me on my journey, which is why one or two of my people remain behind who will never travel again. We made good play with those thieves; not one of them escaped,
he added grimly, and their bodies we threw into a river where are many crocodiles. But their spears I brought away and I think that they are such as the King's guard use. If so, his search for them will be long, since the fight took place where no man lives and we burned the shields and trappings. Oho! he will think that the ghosts have taken them.
That morning we trekked on fast, fearing lest a regiment searching for these thieves
should strike and follow our spoor. Luckily the ox that the lion had killed was one of some spare cattle which I was driving with me, so its loss did not inconvenience us. As we went Umslopogaas told me that he had duly appointed Lousta and his wife Monazi to rule the tribe during his absence, an office which they accepted doubtfully, Monazi acting as Chieftainess and Lousta as her head Induna or Councillor.
I asked him whether he thought this wise under all the circumstances, seeing that it had occurred to me since I made the suggestion, that they might be unwilling to surrender
