pparently were armed, whereas the
Swazis all carried sticks.

"_Au_!" exclaimed Kazimbi sullenly, and throwing off all disguise. "Pay
us our wage, and let us depart."

"If you depart it will be without your wage, which you will have
forfeited by breaking your agreement and the agreement of your chiefs,"
said Dawes. "Are you prepared to face your chiefs with such a story?
Are you willing to throw away the wage of all this service?"

But the malcontents were past reason. The turbulent murmurs grew in
volume.

"We must go!" they cried. "Wage or no wage we will go. We do not want
to be killed by the Igazipuza."

"Well, I say you shall not go," said Dawes, rising to his feet.

"_Hau_!" burst from the group. "_Hau_! we are going now." And an
insolent laugh went up.

"Stand! The first who moves is a dead man."

The defiant laugh died in their throats. They gazed in direst
consternation at the revolver presented full at them, at the resolute
grey eyes behind it--at the two revolvers, for Gerard, quick to grasp
the situation had covered them with his. The complete turning of the
tables was ludicrous.

"We hold twelve lives here," said Dawes, "and you are but six. The
first man who moves will be shot dead, and once we begin shooting, in
half a minute there will not be one of you left standing. Now you,
Kazimbi, walk six paces away from the rest. Only six."

Grey with apprehension, the Swazi obeyed. No sooner had he gained the
requisite distance than he was seized from behind by Sintoba and Fulani,
and securely bound with _reims_. The others standing huddled together
like sheep, still covered by the deadly six-shooters, whose dread
capacities they knew only too well, were round-eyed with fear. And
behind them they caught a glimpse of the two leaders, each armed with a
broad-bladed stabbing assegai, which had come forth from some cunning
place of concealment.

"Tie him across the waggon wheel," said Dawes. And in a trice the
spokesman of the malcontents was spread-eagled across the wheel,
triangled in such wise that he could move neither hand nor foot.

Dawes took a couple of _reims_ from an after-ox yoke, and deliberately
tied a knot in each. No longer was there any necessity to hold the
others covered with the pistols. They were completely cowed. Then
speaking, he said--

"You are a set of miserable cowards, you Amaswazi. You thought
yourselves just strong enough to defy me and run away and l