too, have something to say."

All started. Would this braggart, they thought, turn coward, and
endeavour at the last moment to save his life? Ah, they little knew.

"Speak, then," said the leader. "But let it be brief."

"This boy," said Tambusa, with a wave of the hand towards Nkombazana,
who squatted a little distance off. "He has slain no Amabuna. Let him
go home."

No reply was made at first, and the Amabuna looked at each other. But
Nkombazana, who had heard all, now sprang to his feet. He to go home,
when his father and chief was to die here? No, no! Then, with flashing
eyes, he began bellowing out the number of Amabuna he had slain. Why,
he had helped to batter out the brains of that very party, and had
ripped up white women with his own spear what time we rushed the waggon
camp. If his chief was to die, he would die with him. A warrior must
follow his chief everywhere.

Well, he obtained his wish. The leaders would have spared him at first,
but when they heard him glorying in the slaughter of their countrymen--
and countrywomen, too--they soon desisted in their attempts, and the
Amabuna at large howled for his blood.

So Tambusa and his young follower were ordered to proceed in the midst
of their armed guard to the outskirts of the camp to meet their death.

No further word did Tambusa speak, save one of commendation of the
bravery shown by his follower. He strode forth in the midst of his
guard, his head thrown back--his great stature and fearless countenance
worthy of a Zulu of the noblest rank and birth. When they ordered him
to halt he did so, and, facing round upon the line of levelled guns,
stood proudly, with folded arms, his young follower standing equally
fearless at his side. A line of flame shot forth, and a rolling crash.
Tambusa and Nkombazana sunk quietly to the ground, pierced by many
bullets, dying without a struggle.

Such, then, was the end of Tambusa, and although, _Nkose_, I had no
liking for him nor he for me--indeed, had he lived he would ever have
been my bitterest enemy--yet his end was that of a brave man, and in
every way worthy of an induna of the Zulu nation who sat at the right
hand of the King.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

THE DIVIDING OF THE NATION.

The time had been well chosen for the return of the Bapongqolo to the
heart of the nation, for now the Amabuna were advancing upon us, and
with them Nongalaza at the head of a strong army, made up of the rebel