with great caution, so that presently, seeing several men approach,
armed with spears and shields, I dropped out of sight to let them pass.

But soon after them came another--a tall man and ringed. Him I surveyed
a moment, and recognised Silwane. But, to my surprise, when I would
have accosted him he turned away, as though not aware of my presence.
This looked strange, but while I was pondering as to what it could mean,
I heard Silwane begin to sing softly to himself. I listened as the
words grew louder and louder, yet not so as they could have been heard
from afar. And the words were strange, for he sang of a buffalo-bull
for whom hunters lay in wait, whom their circle had well-nigh closed
around; that the Ngome mountains were wild and broken, full of great
forests and impenetrable hiding-places; and that there, and there only,
had the hunted buffalo fled, that there, and there only, might he be
safe. So he kept on singing. To any who heard, he might have been
muttering an ordinary hunting-song, but to me, listening, ah! I saw his
meaning. He had not really failed to observe me, but the last thing he
desired was to do so in fact; and now he raised that song in urgent
warning. Ah! he was a man, indeed, _Nkose_, was that same Silwane; a
valiant fighter when we met in battle in opposite ranks; a true and
faithful brother of the spear now that we had fought side by side.

So I saw through his warning and the advice it conveyed, yet before
acting upon it I would take counsel with Lalusini. To this end I turned
back, and travelling with great caution, at length I gained the strange
earth cave where she dwelt.

She was surprised when she saw me, and somewhat disturbed. I told her
all that had occurred--the death of poor Nomshasa and her warning; the
meeting and warning of Silwane. But when I came to Nomshasa's idea that
I should join in the plots of Mpande she shook her head.

"That will not do, Untuswa. That will not further my plans at all.
_Au_! It seems that our places are reversed," she went on, with a
laugh; "but it will not be always so. I know this people better than
thou dost, and am in a better position to watch and wait, and, if need
be, act. Now the only way by which Mpande can sit in the seat of
Dingane is with the aid of the Amabuna, and we have no need of these
white invaders. Here is my counsel, Untuswa. Flee hence to the Ngome
forests beyond the Black Umfolosi, and lie hidden awhile. Ther