called after him to tell the white people that they had come to kill
them and the Mazitu who were their friends and to take away the white
women.

"Hassan-ben-Mohammed and his slavers!" I said, as Babemba appeared at
the head of a number of soldiers, crying out:

"The slave-dealing Arabs are here, lord Macumazana. They have crept
on us through the mist. A herald of theirs has come to the north gate
demanding that we should give up you white people and your servants,
and with you a hundred young men and a hundred young women to be sold as
slaves. If we do not do this they say that they will kill all of us save
the unmarried boys and girls, and that you white people they will take
and put to death by burning, keeping only the two women alive. One
Hassan sends this message."

"Indeed," I answered quietly, for in this fix I grew quite cool as was
usual with me. "And does Bausi mean to give us up?"

"How can Bausi give up Dogeetah who is his blood brother, and you, his
friend?" exclaimed the old general, indignantly. "Bausi sends me to
his brother Dogeetah that he may receive the orders of the white man's
wisdom, spoken through your mouth, lord Macumazana."

"Then there's a good spirit in Bausi," I replied, "and these are
Dogeetah's orders spoken through my mouth. Go to Hassan's messengers and
ask him whether he remembers a certain letter which two white men left
for him outside their camp in a cleft stick. Tell him that the time has
now come for those white men to fulfil the promise they made in that
letter and that before to-morrow he will be hanging on a tree. Then,
Babemba, gather your soldiers and hold the north gate of the town for as
long as you can, defending it with bows and arrows. Afterwards retreat
through the town, joining us among the trees on the rocky slope that is
opposite the south gate. Bid some of your men clear the town of all the
aged and women and children and let them pass though the south gate and
take refuge in the wooded country beyond the slope. Let them not tarry.
Let them go at once. Do you understand?"

"I understand everything, lord Macumazana. The words of Dogeetah shall
be obeyed. Oh! would that we had listened to you and kept a better
watch!"

He rushed off, running like a young man and shouting orders as he went.

"Now," I said, "we must be moving."

We collected all the rifles and ammunition, with some other things, I
am sure I forget what they were, and with the help of a few