, I would slay him with my own
hand!

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

I FIGHT THE CHAMPION OF THE MASHONA ARMY.

In obedience to the king's command, Mapela left his place among his
fellow indunas, and, stalking across the intervening space, handed his
bangwan--a spear with a stout haft about three and a half feet long, to
which was attached a head some eighteen inches long by seven and a half
inches wide, the two edges of which were almost razor keen--to 'Mfuni.
And while he was doing this, and whispering a few hurried words to my
prospective antagonist, I divested myself of my jacket, and handing it
and my rifle to Piet, who all this while had stood motionless as a
statue, said:

"Take these and hold them for me, Piet. And if I should be killed, make
your way at once to the place where I have left my horse, shooting any
man who may attempt to stop you--the rifle is loaded--and mount and ride
for your life to the wagon. And if you are fortunate enough to reach it
alive, you, with Jan and 'Ngulubi, had better take all the horses, all
the guns, and as much ammunition as you may have time to lay your hands
on, and ride for your lives back to the Limpopo, on the other side of
which you will be reasonably safe. After which, you must do the best
you can for yourselves. And if you should be lucky enough to get back
home, find Major Henderson and tell him all that has happened and--how I
died."

"All right, baas," answered Piet cheerfully, as he took my coat and
rifle from me; "I'll remember all that you say. But I ain't afraid,
baas; you're not goin' to die just yet. You'll beat that black nigger
all right." (The fellow was himself as black as the ace of spades.)
"All you got to do, baas, is to take care that he don' work roun' you
so's to get the sun in your eyes, that's all."

By this time 'Mfuni was once more armed, while Mapela had left him and
was wending his way back to his place among his fellow indunas, whose
eyes, like those of the king, and indeed every man in the square, were
now intently watching every movement of their champion and myself. As I
walked leisurely toward 'Mfuni, rolling up my right shirt sleeve the
while, I saw that the fellow was watching me keenly as a cat watches a
mouse, and, despite my apparent unconcern, I kept an equally wary eye
upon him, knowing, from his tense attitude, that he might attack me at
any moment. As I now approached him, the sun was immediately behind me,
and, mindful of P