e points of the spears of the powerful and
ferocious Zulus. Now, that is an exceedingly dangerous doctrine to
preach to such ignorant, credulous folk as are the Tembu, the Pondos,
and the Griquas; the more so since there is a _soupcon_ of truth in it,
as is evidenced by the increasing numbers of the Dutch who are pressing
over the border in order to escape from British rule: and this time I am
really inclined to believe that the agitation may lead to more or less
unpleasant consequences. Not, mind you, that I think the disturbance is
at all likely to reach as far as here; still, one never knows, and it is
wise to be prepared for the worst--which is the reason why I am anxious
to replenish my stock of ammunition as quickly as possible."

"Yes; quite so," agreed my father. "But," he continued, "who or what is
your authority for the statement that somebody--possibly a white man--is
endeavouring to stir up the natives against us? For my own part I can
scarcely credit such a thing as possible. Why, assuming for a moment
such a thing to be true, the fellow himself would be in the direst
peril, for the natives could hardly be expected to discriminate in his
favour; he would be just as likely to be wiped out in the convulsion as
any of us."

"I think not," said Lestrange, "for I take it that, if such a man
exists, he is some schelm devoid of all kith or kin, and fully prepared
to throw in his lot with the Kafirs, in the hope of living a safe and
easy life with them; or, possibly, he may have some notion that he can
persuade them to make him a chief if he should succeed in bringing off a
successful rising against the whites. As to my authority--well, one of
my Totties, a man named Klaas, who is a rather intelligent fellow, has
overheard a good deal of mysterious talk among my `boys' of late, which
he has repeated to me; and although nothing has been said of an
absolutely definite character, the remarks which he has repeated
certainly seem to point pretty conclusively to the fact that something
is really brewing. Moreover--and this, in my opinion, is the most
sinister indication of all--my native `boys' are all going back home,
upon one pretext or another."

"A-h!" ejaculated my father, "now you are coming to something definite.
How long has this been going on?"

"Oh, not very long! Only within these last few days," answered
Lestrange. "But within that time more than half of them have gone. And
they are mostly Pondo