nt ridge, all hands rejoiced exceedingly,
because they were going to get it.

They were, however, doomed to disappointment, for several binoculars
soon revealed behind that whirling dust cloud, no Zulu impi, but a large
contingent of the Natal Police, advancing at a quick trot.

Their pace slackened as they drew nearer, and recognised that all was
well. As they rode up, nearly a hundred strong, in double file, the
very simplicity of their khaki uniform and well-filled bandoliers, the
sunburnt faces of the troopers, mostly young men, hard and athletic, and
full of determination and dare-devil dash, seemed somehow far more
imposing than any display of scarlet accompanied by the blare of a
regimental band. These men were doing the hard work of their country,
and they looked it.

"We've come to clear you out of this, Minton," said the inspector in
command, when the first greetings were over, "Sapazani has broken out,
and has nearly two thousand niggers in the Lumisana. So roll up
everything and be ready to trek to Esifeni with us as soon as our horses
are rested. You've done well enough this morning, but a few of you like
this are a mere mouthful in the long run. Besides--the ladies."

The storekeeper swore a bit. He wasn't going to be hustled off for any
blooming Sapazani, not he. They had taught them a lesson that morning
that wouldn't want repeating, and so on. Inspector Bray grew "short."

"Well, if you're a blanked idiot, Minton," he said, "stay, by all means;
but I don't suppose there are any more such fools. Eh, Halse?"

"I'm not one of them, Bray," was the answer. "A man can risk his own
skin as much as he's fool enough to do, but he's no business to risk
that of his womenkind. My party goes with you."

That settled it. The consensus of opinion was against the storekeeper,
wherefore, as he could not stay on by himself, the whole position was
simplified. He occupied the remainder of the time burying the most
valuable of his stock-in-trade, the liquor to wit, and such other things
as were worth bothering about in an emergency. Meanwhile the two police
officers and Ben Halse went round the line of attack, like a sort of
informal coroner's court "viewing the bodies." Several of these the
latter recognised as Sapazani's people. The others he did not think
were.

Then, when the Force had sufficiently rested, there was saddling up and
inspanning, and soon after midday the column pulled out.

C