The prisoner stood with chest expanded--erect--facing the
witch-doctress. There was a flash of light through the air, and the
spear descended. No writhing body, gushing with blood, sank to the
earth. The prisoner stood, erect and smiling.

"_Hau_!" cried the warriors. "The `charm' is too strong. The white man
is unhurt--_Mawo_!"

Ngcenika could be seen examining the point of her assegai in scowling
concern. It was completely flattened and turned.

It must not be supposed that Eustace was so simple as to imagine that
the sorceress would strike at the spot where she knew the impediment was
concealed--over his heart, to wit. That cunning she-devil, as he well
knew, would aim just to the right of this, and would reckon infallibly
upon transfixing him. Accordingly, while watching the stroke, with
incredible quickness and dexterity he timed himself to swerve slightly
in that direction thus actually catching the point of the weapon upon
the silver box. Again had the love of Eanswyth stepped between himself
and death.

"Where is the man who owns this spear?" cried the witch-doctress,
suddenly.

With much inward trepidation a warrior stepped forward.

"Thy weapon is bewitched!" cried the hag, in a terrible voice.

The man made no reply. He thought his doom was sealed.

"Yes, thy weapon is bewitched." Then raising her voice: "Where is the
man who struck this white wizard in battle?"

A moment's hesitation--and there advanced from the ranks of the fighting
men a tall, powerful warrior. He grasped in his hand a broad-bladed
assegai, with the point broken short off.

"I am Mfulini, the son of Mapute," he began, not waiting to be addressed
first. "I am a fighting man of the race of Gcaleka! I love war.
_Hau_! I have struck more than one enemy, but have never struck him
twice. _Hau_! I struck this white man and my weapon broke, my strong
_umkonto_ [The broad headed close-quarter assegai] that has drunk the
heart's blood of five Fingo dogs. The weapon is bewitched. He who has
done this thing must be found. The wizard must be found. _Hau_!"

"_Ewa, Ewa_!" shouted the warriors. "The wizard must be found. The
great witch-doctress must find him. Then will the white man's magic be
no longer too strong for her. He must be killed! Find him! Find him!
He must be killed!"

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

THE "SMELLING OUT."

"He must be killed! He must be killed!"

The cry was taken up. The bloodthirsty