t it be the death of the spear."

But a howl, wrathful and derisive was the only response. They were not
going to be done out of their fun. It would be a novel sight to see how
the black ants would appreciate white meat. An appeal to Laliswayo on
the part of the victims proved equally fruitless, for the simple reason
that the chief had purposely withdrawn into the background of his
followers. He did not want to hear any such appeal.

The full horror of the fate in store for them was equally patent to both
victims. They would be stripped and bound down upon an ants' nest, to
be literally devoured alive by countless thousands of the swarming
insects. It was a mode of torture frequently resorted to by all the
native tribes of Southern Africa in former times, but usually only as
the penalty of supposed witchcraft, and even then rarely among the
Zulus. It spelt hours of indescribable torment and raving madness,
before death brought a merciful relief.

"But ye are _abatagati_," roared the crowd. "It is through your
witchcraft that Inxele has escaped. He was to have fed the ants. He
has gone, therefore you must take his place."

"We are not _abatagati_. We are men," urged Fleetwood. "Let us then
die fighting. Bring any two of your best fighters against each of us--
or three if you will. Then you shall see a far more warrior-like
sight."

Derisive jeers were the only reply to this appeal, and now their
tormentors flung them down on the ground. They had found an ants' nest,
and the black, vicious insects, stirred up with a stick, were swarming
to and fro, their venomous nippers open and extended. An animated
discussion was going on among the savages as to which should be the
first victim, and whether he should be hung by the heels to a tree with
his face just touching the nest, or fastened down straight across it.

"Are they doing this just to scare us?" said Wyvern, through whose mind
the bitterest of thoughts were surging. It was hard to die now just as
that which they had sought was within their reach. But what a death!
Would Lalante ever come to hear of it, he wondered and would she, in
time, when his memory became dim, console herself? And the bitterness
of the idea well-nigh served to blunt the anticipation of the ghastly
torture that awaited. But as though to remind him of it some sportive
savage, not minding a few bites, grabbed a handful of the stuff of which
the nest was made, and incidentally