unt for which I asked, and men to go with me, then when I return
perhaps we can bargain on the matter. If not, I will bid the king
farewell, and journey to Natal."

"In order to make report of what he has seen and learned here," muttered
Cetywayo.

At this moment the talk was interrupted, for the soldiers who had led
away the old Induna returned at speed, and prostrated themselves before
the king.

"Is he dead?" he asked.

"He has travelled the king's bridge," they answered grimly; "he died
singing a song of praise of the king."

"Good," said Cetywayo, "that stone shall hurt my feet no more. Go, tell
the tale of its casting away to Sompseu and to the Queen's Induna in
Natal," he added with bitter emphasis.

"_Baba!_ Hear our Father speak. Listen to the rumbling of the Elephant,"
said the Indunas taking the point, while one bolder than the rest added:
"Soon we will tell them another tale, the white Talking Ones, a red
tale, a tale of spears, and the regiments shall sing it in their ears."

At the words an enthusiasm caught hold of the listeners, as the sudden
flame catches hold of dry grass. They sprang up, for the most of them
were seated on their haunches, and stamping their feet upon the ground
in unison, repeated:--

_Indaba ibomwu--indaba ye mikonto
Lizo dunyiswa nge impi ndhlebeni yaho._
(A red tale! A red tale! A tale of spears,
And the _impis_ shall sing it in their ears.)

One of them, indeed, a great fierce-faced fellow, drew near to Hadden
and shaking his fist before his eyes--fortunately being in the royal
presence he had no assegai--shouted the sentences at him.

The king saw that the fire he had lit was burning too fiercely.

"Silence," he thundered in the deep voice for which he was remarkable,
and instantly each man became as if he were turned to stone, only the
echoes still answered back: "And the _impis_ shall sing it in their
ears--in their ears."

"I am growing certain that this is no place for me," thought Hadden;
"if that scoundrel had been armed he might have temporarily forgotten
himself. Hullo! who's this?"

Just then there appeared through the gate of the fence a splendid
specimen of the Zulu race. The man, who was about thirty-five years
of age, was arrayed in a full war dress of a captain of the Umcityu
regiment. From the circlet of otter skin on his brow rose his crest of
plumes, round his middle, arms and knees hung the long fringes of black
oxtails, and