s came on, and we took up our appointed places each
with a rifle in his hands and peered out into the gloom in silence.
Occasionally one of the Boers would light his pipe with a brand from the
smouldering fire, and the glow of it would shine for a few moments on
his pale, anxious face.

Behind me one of the stout "fraus" lay upon the ground. Even the terror
of our position could not keep her heavy eyes from their accustomed
sleep, and she snored loudly. On the further side of her, just by the
fire, lay little Tota, wrapped in a kaross. She was asleep also, her
thumb in her mouth, and from time to time her father would come to look
at her.

So the hours wore on while we waited for the Zulus. But from my intimate
knowledge of the habits of natives I had little fear that they would
attack us at night, though, had they done so, they could have compassed
our destruction with but small loss to themselves. It is not the habit
of this people, they like to fight in the light of day--at dawn for
preference.

About eleven o'clock, just as I was nodding a little at my post, I heard
a low whistle outside the laager. Instantly I was wide awake, and all
along the line I heard the clicking of locks as the Boers cocked their
guns.

"Macumazahn," said a voice, the voice of Indaba-zimbi, "are you there?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Then hold a light so that I can see how to climb into the laager," he
said.

"Yah! yah! hold a light," put in one of the Boers. "I don't trust
that black schepsel of yours, Heer Quatermain; he may have some of
his countrymen with him." Accordingly a lantern was produced and held
towards the voice. There was Indaba-zimbi alone. We let him into the
laager and asked him the news.

"This is the news, white men," he said. "I waited till dark, and
creeping up to the place where the Zulus are encamped, hid myself behind
a stone and listened. They are a great regiment of Umtetwas as Baas
Botha yonder thought. They struck the spoor of the waggons three days
ago and followed it. To-night they sleep upon their spears, to-morrow at
daybreak they will attack the laager and kill everybody. They are very
bitter against the Boers, because of the battle at Blood River and the
other fights, and that is why they followed the waggons instead of going
straight north after Mosilikatze."

A kind of groan went up from the group of listening Dutchmen.

"I tell you what it is, Heeren," I said, "instead of waiting to be
butchered