e steel-hatted axe he
bore, still when he saw that it had missed he checked the weapon in mid
air, which only a mighty man could have done.

Umslopogaas saw these things also and changed his tactics. His axe was
six or eight inches longer in the haft than that of Rezu, and therefore
he could reach where Rezu could not, for the giant was short-armed.
He twisted it round in his hand so that the moon-shaped blade was
uppermost, and keeping it almost at full length, began to peck with the
gouge-shaped point on the back at the head and arms of Rezu, that as I
knew was a favourite trick of his in fight from which he won his name
of "Woodpecker." Rezu defended his head with his shield as best he could
against the sharp points of steel which flashed all about him.

Twice it seemed to me that the Zulu's pecks went home upon the giant's
breast, but if so they did no harm. Either Rezu's thick beard, or armour
beneath it stopped them from penetrating his body. Still he roared
out as though with pain, or fury, or both, and growing mad, charged at
Umslopogaas and smote with all his strength.

The Zulu caught the blow upon his shield, through which it shore as
though the tough hide were paper. Stay the stroke it could not, yet it
turned its direction, so that the falling axe slid past Umslopogaas's
shoulder, doing him no hurt. Next instant, before Rezu could strike
again, the Zulu threw the severed shield into his face and seizing the
axe with both hands, leapt in and struck. It was a mighty blow, for I
saw the rhinoceros-horn handle of the famous axe bend like a drawn bow,
and it went home with a dull thud full upon Rezu's breast. He shook, but
no more. Evidently the razor edge of _Inkosikaas_ had failed to pierce.
There was a sound as though a hollow tree had been smitten and some
strands of the long beard, shorn off, fell to the ground, but that was
all.

"_Tagati!_ (bewitched)," cried the watching Zulus. "That stroke should
have cut him in two!" while I thought to myself that this man knew how
to make good armour.

Rezu laughed aloud, a bellowing kind of laugh, while Umslopogaas sprang
back astonished.

"Is it thus!" he cried in Zulu. "Well, all wizards have some door by
which their Spirit enters and departs. I must find the door, I must find
the door!"

So he spoke and with springing movements tried to get past Rezu, first
to the right and then to the left, all the while keeping out of reach.
But Rezu ever turned and fac