of light, so that some fellow must have come very close to the
house before throwing his weapon. Yet a trustworthy Kaffir had been put
upon sentry-go outside to report any sound of approaching Matabeles.
Evidently the man cannot have heard this native approach; we supposed he
must have been at the other side of the house, but we afterwards
discovered that the poor fellow lay killed with another assegai through
him.

At sight of the spear quivering in the wooden wall, Gadsby's face went
suddenly white, either with anger, or with the shock of his wife's
narrow escape.

'They have come already--every man to his place at once--out with the
lamp, Morrison. Thompson, run up and light the flare on top of the
house: ladies into their rooms, please!'

Away went men and women to their places, the light was put out, a
shutter was placed over the unboarded portion of the window, and for a
few minutes there was silence within and without.

I went upstairs to my pre-arranged station, and stood at my loop-hole.
My rifle and cartridges were all placed ready to my hand. The night was
very dark, and it was impossible to see more than a yard or two in front
of one's nose. But Gadsby had manufactured a fine oil bath, full of bits
of floating wick, and when Thomson set this alight on the roof, a
brilliant glare was shed around the house to the distance of fully fifty
yards.

The movement surprised a score or so of Matabeles, who had approached
very softly in the darkness--a kind of advance-guard, I suppose, sent to
reconnoitre and report to the main body. For the moment the sudden light
revealed their presence; they started to run like hares, hoping to reach
the safety of the darkness before our 'fire-sticks' should speak. I am
afraid very few of that advance-guard lived to reach the _impi_ which
was awaiting the information they were sent forward to gather and bring
back; for a volley from half-a-dozen loop-holes made havoc of the
runners, and doubtless those few who escaped had a terrible tale to tell
of the destruction that awaited the unwary attackers of our hornets'
nest.

This first surprise gained us several hours of respite. I suppose the
enemy had not expected that we should be so well equipped for
resistance. They had hoped to effect a surprise; to catch us
unsuspecting and unprepared; to destroy us at discretion, and then loot
and eat and drink and burn and demolish.

Gadsby was delighted with our success, 'I only wish t