very man straightened himself,
each shield was tossed on high, and from every throat was roared the
royal salute, "Bayete!"

"A pretty sight forsooth," quoth Dingaan; "but these soldiers are too
well drilled who have never done me service nor the Black One who was
before me, and this Slaughterer is too good a captain, I say. Come
hither, ye twain!" he cried aloud.

Then the Wolf-Brethren strode forward and stood before the king, and for
awhile they looked upon each other.

CHAPTER XXVIII. THE LILY IS BROUGHT TO DINGAAN

"How are you named?" said Dingaan.

"We are named Bulalio the Slaughterer and Galazi the Wolf, O King,"
answered Umslopogaas.

"Was it thou who didst send a certain message to the Black One who is
dead, Bulalio?"

"Yea, O King, I sent a message, but from all I have heard, Masilo, my
messenger, gave more than the message, for he stabbed the Black One.
Masilo had an evil heart."

Now Dingaan winced, for he knew well that he himself and one Mopo had
stabbed the Black One, but he thought that this outland chief had not
heard the tale, so he said no more of the message.

"How is it that ye dare to come before me armed? Know ye not the rule
that he who appears armed before the king dies?"

"We have not heard that law, O King," said Umslopogaas. "Moreover, there
is this to be told: my virtue of the axe I bear I rule alone. If I am
seen without the axe, then any man may take my place who can, for the
axe is chieftainess of the People of the Axe, and he who holds it is its
servant."

"A strange custom," said Dingaan, "but let it pass. And thou, Wolf, what
hast thou to say of that great club of thine?"

"There is this to be told of the club, O King," answered Galazi: "by
virtue of the club I guard my life. If I am seen without the club, then
may any man take my life who can, for the club is my Watcher, not I
Watcher of the club."

"Never wast thou nearer to the losing of both club and life," said
Dingaan, angrily.

"It may be so, O King," answered the Wolf. "When the hour is, then,
without a doubt, the Watcher shall cease from his watching."

"Ye are a strange pair," quoth Dingaan. "Where have you been now, and
what is your business at the Place of the Elephant?"

"We have been in a far country, O King!" answered Umslopogaas. "We have
wandered in a distant land to search for a Flower to be a gift to a
king, and in our searching we have trampled down a Swazi garden,
and yonder are some of