strike; but the next
moment education and manliness prevailed, his hand dropped to his side,
and he stood there talking to Dinny for some time in a way that made
that gentleman slink away and go about his work with a very hangdog
expression of countenance.

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT.

THE LAST ADVENTURE.

Days of slow, steady trekking homeward, and then, to the consternation
of all, they learned from a Boer, fleeing with his waggon and belongings
to another part of the country, that it would not be safe to go farther,
for a war had broken out between a powerful Zulu tribe and the
Amaswazis, both sides taking advantage of the disturbed state of the
country to rob and plunder in every way they could.

"Dey dake away all dose caddles," said the Boer, "and kill you all. I
go away."

He went away, and the General was called into consultation.

"What shall we do?" said Mr Rogers, who, without fearing for their
lives, had a horror of losing the fruits of their long journey into the
interior.

"Go straight on home like brave men," said the Zulu, sturdily. "The
boss may not see enemies in the way. If he does, we shall see the boss,
who can fight lions, will not be afraid of men. Man sees boss not
afraid, he will not fight."

"I shall take your advice, General," said Mr Rogers; and to the horror
of Dinny, who from that moment began to contrive a hiding-place in the
biggest chest, the order was given, "Forward!"

They came upon danger sooner than they expected, for, steadily trekking
on, they had halted for the day in an open plain, when, to Mr Rogers'
horror, he found that he had inadvertently halted in what was about to
be the battle-ground of the contending tribes.

It was almost like magic. One hour the valley was empty, the next it
was swarming with contending men.

Escape was impossible, and in a very short time the waggon was put in as
good a state of defence as could be, and they were surrounded by the
enemy; but before hostilities between them could commence, the Zulu
tribe came swarming down from the hills behind them, advancing with a
regular dancing tramp, forming themselves into a crescent, and dashing
on to the attack.

The Amaswazis who had first surrounded the waggon were largely armed
with rifles; but in spite of the superiority this gave them, they gave
way before the determination of the assegai-armed Zulu warriors, who
came trooping by the waggon, the greater portion of them thorough
counte