ief
inspiring them with dismay, it only nerved them to resistance more
stubborn, more ferocious than ever.

Three out of the six were already slain, one almost disabled from
wounds. Three likewise of the Ngobamakosi were down--so far man for
man. The remaining three, pressed back inch by inch, were already at
the cliff's brow. As for asking quarter that was the last thing in the
world they would ever have dreamed of. Gerard now found the opportunity
to cut the _reims_ which bound his friend, and thrust his revolver into
the hand of the latter.

Hardly had he done so when a terrific uproar arose beneath--the royal
shout of _Usutu_. On it came, surging upward, and immediately there
sprang upon the apex of The Tooth some five or six warriors. The red
circle showed them to be enemies, the panting chests and hacked shields
and the quick eager way in which they turned to glance back as soon as
they had gained the summit, showed them to be fugitives. A gasp of
surprise escaped the two white men as they caught sight of the foremost.
It was Vunawayo.

"Ha! _Umlungu_!" cried the latter, as he sighted Gerard, "I told you we
should meet again on the point of The Tooth! And we have."

There was something so terrific, so appalling in the very aspect of the
gigantic savage, as covered with blood, his evil features working in a
most fiendish and malignant grin, he darted like lightning upon Gerard,
that even the latter might have been excused if he had felt momentarily
unnerved. Unluckily, too, his foot slipped, so that his rifle bullet,
instead of meeting his assailant full in the chest, only hummed past the
latter's ear. He was at the mercy of his formidable foe. Parrying with
his shield the blow aimed at him by Gerard's dabbed rifle, Vunawayo made
a furious stab. But Gerard, avoiding it, gripped his assailant by the
legs and threw him. The agile and powerful Zulu, however, was half up
in a moment, and the straggle became a hand-to-hand one. No assistance
either could Dawes or the Ngobamakosi give, all their efforts being
fully taxed to hold their own against this new accession of strength to
the side of their enemies.

"_Au_, _'mlungu_! I told you our meeting would be a long one," growled
Vunawayo, between his set teeth, as they rolled nearer and nearer to the
brow of the cliff. Gerard the while felt every muscle in his powerful
young frame cracking, strained as it was to prevent the savage from
freeing the ha