the Pool of Doom. Then crying:--

"Black Heart! your turn, Black Heart the traitor!" he rushed at Hadden,
his eyes rolling and foam flying from his lips, as he passed striking
the chief Maputa from his horse with a backward blow of his hand. Ill
would it have gone with the white man if Nahoon had caught him. But
he could not come at him, for the soldiers sprang upon him and
notwithstanding his fearful struggles they pulled him to the ground, as
at certain festivals the Zulu regiments with their naked hands pull down
a bull in the presence of the king.

"Cast him over before he can work more mischief," said a voice. But the
captain cried out, "Nay, nay, he is sacred; the fire from Heaven has
fallen on his brain, and we may not harm him, else evil would overtake
us all. Bind him hand and foot, and bear him tenderly to where he can
be cared for. Surely I thought that these evil-doers were giving us too
little trouble, and thus it has proved."

So they set themselves to make fast Nahoon's hands and wrists, using
as much gentleness as they might, for among the Zulus a lunatic is
accounted holy. It was no easy task, and it took time.

Hadden glanced around him, and saw his opportunity. On the ground close
beside him lay his rifle, where one of the soldiers had placed it,
and about a dozen yards away Maputa's pony was grazing. With a swift
movement, he seized the Martini and five seconds later he was on the
back of the pony, heading for the Crocodile Drift at a gallop. So
quickly indeed did he execute this masterly retreat, that occupied as
they all were in binding Nahoon, for half a minute or more none of the
soldiers noticed what had happened. Then Maputa chanced to see, and