aken,
would have run a great risk of losing their lives, and of the store of
meat which they were bringing in.

Rupert and his party lost no time in launching the boat. As yet, as he
looked to the north, he could see no one, nor were the Zulus visible to
the naked eye. Confident, however, that Percy would give warning,
should any approach the river, he and Crawford agreed to pull across,
and having stationed their men under cover, they at once shoved off.
They were soon over. Rupert landed, and ran up the bank that he might
obtain a more extensive view than he could in the boat.

"Hurrah! here come four horsemen, and one of them, I am sure, is my
father, and another must be Lionel," he cried. "They are dashing along
at a tremendous rate. They have seen the Zulus, depend upon it, and
probably expect to have to swim their horses across. How fortunate we
came over for them!"

Just as he spoke the report of a musket from the fort was heard, it was
followed immediately afterwards by another.

"That shows that the Zulus are coming this way," he shouted. "Yes, I
see them, a whole band of yelling savages. On they come, clashing their
shields and shaking their assegais, fully expecting to gain an easy
victory; but my father and Lionel will be here first."

Rupert stood ready to rush down to the boat, should it be necessary to
save his life; for, brave as he was, he knew that it would be wrong to
run any risk of throwing it needlessly away. He calculated that there
were twenty or thirty Zulus approaching, running at their utmost speed;
but the ground was rough in the extreme, and in many places their
progress was impeded by thorny bushes, through which they could not
force their way. Though they were coming on at a fearfully rapid rate,
the horsemen were moving still faster. Another shot was fired from the
fort. This Rupert took to be a signal that some more Zulus were
crossing the river lower down. If they made good speed, they might cut
off his men stationed on the western bank. He became doubly anxious,
therefore, for the arrival of his father. He could now distinguish him
clearly, as he could also Lionel and Vermack and the trusty Matyana.
The Zulus would, he hoped, after all be disappointed. Standing on the
highest part of the bank, he waved his hat and then bounded down to the
boat, which Captain Broderick and his companions could not see, to show
them that she was there, ready to carry them across. Th