not like to attack us now."

"What do you say, Tony?--shall we get up and follow in a body slowly?"

"That would be good plan," Tony said, "if sure no more black men come;
but if others come and join dem, dey attack us out on plain, we got no
stags to lie behind. Dey fight hard 'caus they know that Blacking have
got away, and that help come; make bad affair of it; better stop here."

Presently two or three of the natives were seen coming back over the
brow, having given up the pursuit. Dick's rifle was a good one, and the
brow was not more than 400 yards away; he took a steady aim and fired,
and one of the natives fell. A yell of astonishment broke from the
others, and they threw themselves instantly on the grass. This,
however, although long enough to shelter them in the bottom, was shorter
and scantier on the slope. The inclined position too enabled Dick to
see them, and he again fired. He could not see where the ball struck,
but it must have been close to the two natives, for these leapt to their
feet and bounded back again over the brow.

"That was a capital shot of yours, Dick," Tom said. "I will try next
time. Our rifles will carry easily enough as far as that, although the
hunters' won't. If we can but prevent any of these fellows who have
gone after Blacking from coming down and rejoining those round us, we
are safe enough, for if they did not dare to make a rush when there were
about sixty of them they will not try now when there are not half that
number."

An hour later a party of some ten or twelve natives appeared again on
the brow. Dick and Tom at once fired. One of them fell, and the rest
again retired behind the brow, shouting something to those below, which
Tony at once translated that Blacking had got away. The news, added to
the effect of the fall of their comrades on the height, dispirited the
natives below, and one or two were to be seen stealing up the slopes.

Dick and Tom were on the alert, and one of the natives fell with a
broken leg; this completed the uneasiness of the party below. Creeping
away from the deadly rifles to the foot of the slopes, they suddenly
rose and bounded up it. A general volley was fired by the beleaguered
party, and two more natives fell; the rest dashed up the slope, two of
them on the way lifting and carrying off their wounded comrades.

"We all right now," Jumbo said; "dey no attack us here any more; like
enough dey wait and lie in ambush in grass,