more of them yelling and shrieking and hurling their sharp-pointed
spears towards us. A hundred opposed to three were fearful odds.
Probably they were not aware of the smallness of our number, or they
might have made a rush at our camp, and knocked us all over with their
waddies. Every moment we expected that they would do so. Should one of
us be killed or wounded so as to be unable to fire, the other two must
inevitably become their victims.

As yet we had happily escaped injury, and the blacks did not appear
inclined to venture closer than at first. We had been firing away as
rapidly as we could reload, but though we had killed several, we had
frequently missed, for as they kept springing in and out behind the
trees in the thickening gloom, it was very difficult to hit them.
Suddenly they vanished, and I was afraid were coming round to get on our
flank; the width of the water-hole, and the marshy ground on the further
side was, however, too great to allow them to hurl their spears across
it. My gun was loaded, but when I put my hand into my bullet-pouch, to
my dismay, I found that I had not another shot left. I told my
companions. "Neither have I, and have just loaded with small shot,"
said Bracewell.

"So have I," said Guy; "but it will do to pepper them with if they come
nearer."

"But small shot will not go through their shields," I remarked.

"Then we must aim at their legs," answered Bracewell, calmly.

"Don't you think it would be prudent to mount the horses and gallop off
before they again attack us?" asked Guy.

"They will probably be on the look-out should we make the attempt, and
surround us before we get to any distance," said Bracewell. "Better try
and hold our own here, where we have the shelter of the trees, only
don't throw a shot away."

This discussion was cut short by a loud yell uttered by our savage
enemies, who, the next instant, again came into view, and advanced with
their spears poised. We had barely time to spring behind the trees,
when a shower of spears flew through the air, some passing close to us,
others sticking in the opposite side of the trunks. We immediately
replied, but could not see whether our shots took effect. The spears
now fell so thickly, that we could scarcely venture to show ourselves
even for a moment to fire in return. By the sound of the savages'
voices we judged they were getting nearer, and now we all felt that we
should have to sell our lives dea