ghbourhood was doubtful.
Although they had accepted the gift, Captain Broderick thought it
probable that they had some treacherous intentions, and would, at all
events, make an attempt to get hold of Mangaleesu and Kalinda: perhaps
even now a party might be stealing across the river with that object in
view, intending to make a sudden rush at the house, should they find the
garrison off their guard.

Captain Broderick therefore ordered his men to keep under arms, while he
sent two of the Kaffirs, on whom he could rely, to watch along the bank
of the river. He had little fear of their crossing above the falls, as
the current there ran with great rapidity, and they would have had to
make a wide circuit over difficult, almost impassable ground. Still, to
escape the risk of being taken by surprise, he placed a sentry to watch
on the northern side of the palisade, where a platform had been erected
for the purpose. Meantime Percy, who had wished to keep guard with the
rest, was persuaded by his mother to go to bed.

"You will better be able to do your duty, should any work be required,
when you have regained your strength," she observed. "Should the Zulus
attack us, which I don't think probable, I will call you. You can then
take your part in the defence."

"And what are you and the girls going to do, mother?" he asked.

"We will load the muskets, and tend any who are wounded," she answered,
in a firm voice. "Rose and Maud propose to keep a look-out round the
palisade, lest any of the enemy should steal up and attempt to take them
in the rear; while Biddy will not fail to play her part in some way or
other."

"I wish that Hendricks and Crawford, with that gallant little fellow
Lionel, had arrived," observed Percy. "I cannot help thinking that some
accident may have happened to them, or they would have been here before
now. They and the servants would have added greatly to our strength.
Indeed, I don't think the Zulus, if they were here, would venture to
attack us. I have not, by the bye, told you much about Lionel, mother."

"No; but your friend Denis has, and he described to us the gallant way
in which you saved the boy from being drowned or destroyed by a
crocodile," answered Mrs Broderick.

"I was too glad to be of service to Mr Hendricks, who had treated my
friend Crawford and me so kindly in letting us accompany him, besides
which, I had a strong liking for the young fellow, whom I should have
been very