"'I would if I could, Macumazahn, who have no stomach for this war
against the English. But there I should not be safe, since presently the
king will come into Natal too, or send thirty thousand assegais as his
messengers. Then what will happen to those who have left him?'

"'Oh! if you think that,' I answered, laughing, 'you had better stay
where you are.'

"'Also, Macumazahn, the husbands of those women at my kraal have been
called up to their regiments and if their wives fled to the English they
would be killed. Again, the king has sent for nearly all our cattle "to
keep them safe." He fears lest we Border Zulus might join our people in
Natal, and that is why he is keeping our cattle "safe."'

"'Life is more than cattle, Magepa. At least you might come.'

"'What! And leave my people to be killed? Macumazahn, you did not use
to talk so. Still, hearken. Macumazahn, will you do me a service? I will
pay you well for it. I would get my daughter Gita and my little grandson
Sinala into safety. If I and my wives are wiped out it does not matter,
for we are old. But her I would save, and the boy I would save, so
that one may live who will remember my name. Now if I were to send them
across the drift, say at the dawn, not to-morrow and not the next day,
but the day after, would you receive them into your wagon and deliver
them safe to some place in Natal? I have money hidden, fifty pieces of
gold, and you may take half of these and also half of the cattle if ever
I live to get them back out of the keeping of the king.'

"'Never mind about the money, and we will speak of the cattle
afterwards,' I said. 'I understand that you wish to send your daughter