"That ought to come off all right," reflected Hadden to himself as he
plunged and floated in the waters of the stream, "but somehow I don't
quite trust our friend Maputa. It would have been better if I could
have relied upon myself to get rid of Nahoon and his respected uncle--a
couple of shots would do it in the water. But then that would be murder
and murder is unpleasant; whereas the other thing is only the delivery
to justice of two base deserters, a laudable action in a military
country. Also personal interference upon my part might turn the girl
against me; while after Umgona and Nahoon have been wiped out by Maputa,
she _must_ accept my escort. Of course there is a risk, but in every
walk of life the most cautious have to take risks at times."

As it chanced, Philip Hadden was correct in his suspicions of his
coadjutor, Maputa. Even before that worthy chief reached his own
kraal, he had come to the conclusion that the white man's plan, though
attractive in some ways, was too dangerous, since it was certain that if
the girl Nanea escaped, the king would be indignant. Moreover, the men
he took with him to do the killing in the drift would suspect something
and talk. On the other hand he would earn much credit with his majesty
by revealing the plot, saying that he had learned it from the lips of
the white hunter, whom Umgona and Nahoon had forced to participate
in it, and of whose coveted rifle he must trust to chance to possess
himself.

*****

An hour later two discreet messengers were bounding across the plains,
bearing words from the Chief Maputa, the Warden of the Border, to the
"great Black Elephant" at Ulundi.