man, drily.

"By-the-by," said Tarrant, "I wonder what Mafuta did with my rifle and
cartridges."

Jekyll pricked up his ears.

"Is that one of your boys?" he said.

"Yes. He was carrying my gun and cartridges."

"Well, there was no gun and cartridges with your donkeys when they
turned up."

"The devil there wasn't!" said Tarrant. "Let's go and look into it."

They went outside, Jekyll and two or three others accompanying them.
The three boys in charge of the donkeys were there. They had off-loaded
the packs and taken them inside. Where was Mafuta? They did not know.
They had last seen him about half way; after that no more. They thought
perhaps he had been ordered to try and shoot some game on the way.
Tarrant looked blue.

"Oh, he'll turn up," he said, in a tone which conveyed the idea that
such a contingency was remote.

"Pity you trusted him with a gun in these times," said Jekyll. "I'm
afraid he'll clear with it."

"Wot'll yer tike for the chawnce?" said the Cockney, who was one of
those who had accompanied them outside.

"Oh, he'll roll up directly," said Tarrant, ignoring this specimen;
"Mafuta's a reliable boy. I've had him a long while."

Returning from the huts, they became aware of a certain amount of
excitement in front of the store. A trooper of the Matabeleland Mounted
Police had just ridden up. The rising was a fact, and he had been sent
round to warn everybody to come in to Bulawayo if possible; if not, to
collect together and form laagers. Several prospectors and miners had
been murdered in the Sikumbutana district, but how far the outbreak had
spread could not as yet be determined. He was on his way to warn
Hollingworth; after that, if he could manage it, he must get through to
John Ames'.

The excitement produced by this news was mingled with consternation.
Half of those there collected were unarmed. Those who had weapons had
left them behind at their camps; while some, with the habitual British
carelessness which passes for intrepidity, had not even got any there.

The police trooper's horse was offsaddled and put into one of the huts
which did duty for stable for a feed and a brief rest, and then the
whole party re-entered the store to discuss the situation and a fresh
round of drinks. While this was in progress some one reported a party
of natives approaching from the open side in front of the house.
Quickly Jekyll got out a powerful binocular.

"There are about thi