the habits of Zulu warriors of the old school, might have thought that
they intended nothing short of murder.

As I expected, however, within about six feet of me they halted suddenly
and stood there still as statues. For my part I went on lighting my pipe
as though I did not see them and when at length I was obliged to lift my
head, surveyed them with an air of mild interest.

Then I took a little book out of my pocket, it was my favourite copy of
the Ingoldsby Legends--and began to read.

The passage which caught my eye, if "axe" be substituted for "knife" was
not inappropriate. It was from "The Nurse's Story," and runs,

"But, oh! what a thing 'tis to see and to know
That the bare knife is raised in the hand of the foe,
Without hope to repel or to ward off the blow!"

This proceeding of mine astonished them a good deal who felt that they
had, so to speak, missed fire. At last the soldier in the middle said,

"Are you blind, White Man?"

"No, Black Fellow," I answered, "but I am short-sighted. Would you be so
good as to stand out of my light?" a remark which puzzled them so much
that all three drew back a few paces.

When I had read a little further I came to the following lines,

"'Tis plain,