Kei? Was it on this side
of the Bashi?" pursued the chief. "When a man's house is threatened
does he go four days' journey away from it in order to protect it?" A
hum of assent--a sort of native equivalent for "Hear, hear," went up
from the councillors at this hard hit.

"Do I understand the chief to mean that we whose property lay along the
border were to wait quietly for the Gcaleka forces to come and `eat us
up' while we were unprepared?" said Eustace quietly. "That because we
were not on your side of the Kei we were to do nothing to defend
ourselves; to wait until your people should cross the river?"

"Does a dog yelp out before he is kicked?"

"Does it help him, anyway, to do so after?" replied the prisoner, with a
slight smile over this new rendering of an old proverb. "But the chief
cannot be talking seriously. He is joking."

"_Hau_!" burst forth the _amapakati_ in mingled surprise and resentment.

"You are a bold man, _umlungu_," said Kreli, frowning. "Do you know
that I hold your life in my hand?"

This was coming to the point with a vengeance. Eustace realised that,
like Agag, he must "walk delicately." It would not do to take up a
defiant attitude. On the other hand to show any sign of trepidation
might prove equally disastrous. He elected to steer as near as possible
a middle course.

"That is so," he replied. "I am as anxious to live as most people. But
this is war-time. When a man goes to war he does not lock up his life
behind him at home. What would the Great Chief gain by my death?"

"His people's pleasure," replied Kreli, with sombre significance, waving
a hand in the direction of the armed crowd squatted around. Then
turning, he began conferring in a low tone with his councillors, with
the result that presently one of the latter directed that the prisoner
should be removed altogether beyond earshot.

Eustace accordingly was marched a sufficient distance from the debating
group, a move which brought him close to the ranks of armed warriors.
Many of the latter amused themselves by going through a wordless, but
highly suggestive performance illustrative of the fate they hoped
awaited him. One would imitate the cutting out of a tongue, another the
gouging of an eye, etc., all grinning the while in high glee.

Even Eustace, strong-nerved as he was, began to feel the horrible strain
of the suspense. He glanced towards the group of chiefs and _amapakati_
much as the prisoner in