ut just before the volley ceased down
went a trooper almost under the wheels of the trap.

"In here with him," cried Verna, springing to the ground, and herself
helping to lift the stricken man in. He was badly hurt, too, and
insensible, but there was little enough time then for attending the
wounded, for immediately a fresh volley was poured in. This time two
troopers fell, one shot stone dead. The concealed savages raised a
deafening roar of exultation.

But now some of them began to show themselves. There was a break in the
dense bush, and in their eagerness they began to cross this too soon.
The order for half the escort to dismount was followed by a volley from
the rifles. It was now too dark to see the result clearly but from the
vengeful yells that went up it was obvious that more than one bullet had
gone home. Again the volleys roared redly through the night.

A chain is no stronger than its weakest link, which for present purposes
may be taken to mean that two of the prospectors' horses had gone dead
lame. After the repulse of the first attack the escort had been going
at a trot, and the prospectors, who had been bringing up the rear, had
dropped dangerously behind, and among all the noise and firing their
shouts to that effect had gone unheard. One, galloping furiously up,
now brought the intelligence.

"Dickinson, ten men and come along," yelled Dering, who was looking
after the rear of the column. "Those devils'll have 'em if we ain't
sharp."

It happened that Denham had been chatting with the sergeant,
incidentally little dreaming of the nature of the other's furtive
interest in him. Now that there was a call to the rescue he dashed off
with the party. These they came up with not far down the road. Robson
had been hit by a bullet and badly wounded, and a comrade was supporting
him on his horse. Stride's horse was one of the lame ones, and Stride
himself was doing all he knew by kicks and blows and cursed to urge that
noble but unreliable animal onward. Just then the enemy seemed to
become aware that something was wrong.

"Look out, sir," warned Dickinson to his officer. "On the right!"

They could hear the bushes parting, the thud of running feet. Then
Stride's horse fell.

"Here, jump up, man!" cried Denham. "Up behind me. My horse is as
strong as the devil."

"_Usutu_!" broke from the onrushing crowd. "_Usutu, 'Sutu_!"

The savage forms were almost in among them now--assegai