e. Seeing them, and sure now of their booty, the party attacking
us hauled off and took to their heels. Will and Brown were for
speeding them with bullets in the rear, but I yelled again, and this
time made myself heard. Those who had got behind the cattle and were
driving them were coming on with spears and shields raised to slay us
in passing. The other two joined me, and we stood on the ant-hill
three abreast. They charged us--seven or eight of them. Three bit the
dust, but the rest came on, and if it had not been for two swift shots
from Fred's rifle in the very nick of time we should have all been dead
men.

As it was, one seized me by the knees and we went over together,
rolling down the ant-hill, he slashing at me with his great
broad-bladed spear, I ahold of his wrist with one hand, and with the
other fist belaboring him in the face. He was stronger than
I--greasier--sweatier--harder to hold. He slipped from under me,
rolled on top, wrenched his wrist free, and in another second grinned
in my face as, with both knees in my stomach, he raised the spear to
kill. I shut my eyes. I had not another breath left, nor an effort in
me, I thought I would deny him the pleasure of watching my death agony.
But I could not keep my eyes shut. Opening them to see why he did not
strike, I saw Kazimoto with my rifle in both hands swing for his skull
with the full weight of the butt and all his strength. Kazimoto
grunted. The Masai half turned his head at the sound. The butt hit
home--broke off--and my face and breast were deluged with blood and
brains.

When I had wiped off that mess with Kazimoto's help I saw Fred and Will
and Brown pursuing the retreating Masai, kneeling to shoot every few
yards, at every other shot or so bringing down a victim, but being
rapidly out-distanced. Cattle are all the Masai care about. They had
the cattle. They had hold of tails and were making the whole herd
scamper due east, where they no doubt knew of a trail not in maps.
They made no attempt to defend themselves--left their dead lying--and
ran. I saw two or three wounded ones riding on cows, and no doubt some
of those who ran holding to the cows' tails were wounded, too.

I was useless now, as far as fighting was concerned, for the butt of my
rifle was broken clean off at the grip, but I ran on, and heard Brown
shout:

"Shoot cattle! Don't let the brutes get away with them all!"

He was shooting cows himself when I came