ere
sufficient. Gerard's pulses tingled with excitement, but he refrained
from any further questioning. With an effort preserving his
self-possession, he strolled leisurely back to the waggon. He took in
the situation, and his coolness and promptitude at once suggested a
plan.

The remainder of the oxen were in almost the contrary direction to that
indicated by the native as being the hiding-place of the stolen horse.
Shading his eyes to look at them, he said to Dawes--speaking slowly, and
with rather a tired drawl--

"I think I'll ride out and bring in the oxen. When I'm halfway there, I
shall turn and bring in something else. Don't let these two chaps stir
from here till I come back. Hold them here at any price."

Even the quick observant senses of the two Zulus were baffled by the
slow carelessness of the tone. They half started as they saw him fling
the saddle on the remaining horse, and ride off; but, noting the
direction he took, their suspicions were quite lulled. They dropped
back into their easy, good-humoured, half-impudent tone and attitude.

"Well, Jandosi, what do you say?" said the chief's son. "The sun is
nearly down and I must return to my father. Is he to have the gun?"

"I suppose there is no help for it," replied Dawes. "After all, I can
get another gun. But that horse--he is a good horse. Wait, I will see
which of the two guns I will give." And he climbed into the
waggon-tent.

"That is the one, Jandosi. The double-barrel. That is the one!" cried
Nkumbi-ka-Zulu, half starting to his feet as Dawes reappeared. But he
dropped again into his squatting position, with marvellous celerity and
a dismayed ejaculation.

This change was brought about by one quick, stern, peremptory word--that
and the perception that both barrels were covering him full and
point-blank. And behind those barrels shone a pair of steel grey eyes,
which the chief's son knew to go with the coolest brain and steadiest
hand on the whole Zulu border.

"Stir a finger, Nkumbi, and you are a dead man!" continued Dawes. "The
first of you who moves is dead that moment!"

"_Whau_!" cried both Zulus, their eyes starting from their heads. But
they made no attempt to move, for they knew this white man to be
absolutely a man of his word. For a few minutes this singular group
remained thus immovable. The cool, resolute white man, and the two
savages staring in petrified consternation into the month of the deadly
we