nt the banks of the Tugela
re-echoed the novel sound of a heavy gun. The skill of the elephant
hunter did not desert him on this occasion; his shot went truly, and the
tall Zulu sank beneath the waters of the Tugela, an arm partly raised as
the body was whirled down by the rapid current being the only indication
of the man's fate, after Hans' bullet had struck him.

The Zulus had fresh in their memory the fatal effects of the white men's
guns in the late battle, and those who were already in the stream, and
who saw the fate of their fastest runner, instantly turned and scrambled
to the opposite bank.

Hans now decided on waiting for a time on this river bank, for he began
to feel the effect of a long fast, and of the exertion he had used to
escape his pursuers; but a movement of the Zulus on the opposite bank
showed him that this step could not be ventured on. No sooner had those
who were in the stream when he fired returned to land, than the chief of
the party detailed four men to go down the stream, and four up, who were
to cross at once, and go round and cut off the retreat of the white man.
This plan would at once have prevented Hans' escape, had he not seen
the men leave, and had thus become aware of the plot. Taking off his
hat, he moved slightly from his cover, so that the Kaffirs might see
him, and then crouched down again, as though waiting for another shot.
Instead of doing this, however, he placed his hat on a branch where it
could be seen by the enemy on the other side of the stream; then lying
flat on the ground, he worked his way along, so as not to be seen from
the opposite shore. Having thus got out of sight, he rose, and finding
he could not be seen, ran rapidly away from the river bank, and finding
an old game path, followed this at speed, until he had gone fully a mile
from the banks of the Tugela river.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

UNEXPECTED MEETING--HANS TELLS HIS STORY--THE AMBUSCADE--GREEK MEETS
GREEK IN WAR--THE COUNTRY NEAR NATAL--THE NEWS--THE SOLITARY HUNT IN THE
BUSH.

Believing that as soon as the Zulus found that they had been again
cheated they would follow on his trace, Hans ran and walked as fast as
he could, avoiding all detached bushes in order to escape any ambuscade
which stragglers might have prepared for him. He thus continued his
course until it became too dark to find his way, when having chosen a
tree, near an open space, where he believed he could have good warning
if an