a low whistle outside the laager. Instantly I was wide awake, and all
along the line I heard the clicking of locks as the Boers cocked their
guns.

"Macumazahn," said a voice, the voice of Indaba-zimbi, "are you there?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Then hold a light so that I can see how to climb into the laager," he
said.

"Yah! yah! hold a light," put in one of the Boers. "I don't trust
that black schepsel of yours, Heer Quatermain; he may have some of
his countrymen with him." Accordingly a lantern was produced and held
towards the voice. There was Indaba-zimbi alone. We let him into the
laager and asked him the news.

"This is the news, white men," he said. "I waited till dark, and
creeping up to the place where the Zulus are encamped, hid myself behind
a stone and listened. They are a great regiment of Umtetwas as Baas
Botha yonder thought. They struck the spoor of the waggons three days
ago and followed it. To-night they sleep upon their spears, to-morrow at
daybreak they will attack the laager and kill everybody. They are very
bitter against the Boers, because of the battle at Blood River and the
other fights, and that is why they followed the waggons instead of going
straight north after Mosilikatze."

A kind of groan went up from the group of listening Dutchmen.

"I tell you what it is, Heeren," I said, "instead of waiting to be