"The king would look on the mixer of
the holy drink."

Well, there was no way out of it, so off we marched, all well armed as I
need not say, and were instantly surrounded by the soldiers. To give an
unusual note to the proceedings I made Hans walk first, carrying on his
head the rejected musical box from which flowed the touching melody of
"Home, Sweet Home." Then came Stephen bearing the Union Jack on a pole,
then I in the midst of the hunters and accompanied by Babemba, then the
reluctant Sammy, and last of all the two donkeys led by Mazitus, for it
seemed that the king had especially ordered that these should be brought
also.

It was a truly striking cavalcade, the sight of which under any other
circumstances would have made me laugh. Nor did it fail in its effect,
for even the silent Mazitu people through whom we wended our way, were
moved to something like enthusiasm. "Home, Sweet Home" they evidently
thought heavenly, though perhaps the two donkeys attracted them most,
especially when these brayed.

"Where are Tom and Jerry?" I asked of Babemba.

"I don't know," he answered; "I think they have been given leave to go
to see their friends."

Imbozwi is suppressing evidence in our favour, I thought to myself, and
said no more.

Presently we reached the gate of the royal enclosure. Here to my dismay
the soldiers insisted on disarming us, taking away our rifles, our
revolvers, and even our sheath knives. In vain did I remonstrate, saying
that we were not accustomed to part with these weapons. The answer was
that it was not lawful for any man to appear before the king armed even
with so much as a dancing-stick. Mavovo and the Zulus showed signs of
resisting and for a minute I thought there was going to be a row, which
of course would have ended in our massacre, for although the Mazitus
feared guns very much, what could we have done against hundreds of
them? I ordered him to give way, but for once he was on the point of
disobeying me. Then by a happy thought I reminded him that, according to
his Snake, Dogeetah was coming, and that therefore all would be well. So
he submitted with an ill grace, and we saw our precious guns borne off
we knew not where.

Then the Mazitu soldiers piled their spears and bows at the gate of the
kraal and we proceeded with only the Union Jack and the musical box,
which was now discoursing "Britannia rules the waves."

Across the open space we marched to where several broad-leaved t