and your little grandson out of danger; and I think you wise, very wise.
When once the advance begins, if there is an advance, who knows what may
happen? War is a rough game, Magepa. It is not the custom of you black
people to spare women and children; and there will be Zulus fighting on
our side as well as on yours; do you understand?'

"'_Ow!_ I understand, Macumazahn. I have known the face of war and seen
many a little one like my grandson Sinala assegaied upon his mother's
back.'

"'Very good. But if I do this for you, you must do something for me.
Say, Magepa, does Cetewayo _really_ mean to fight, and if so, how? Oh
yes, I know all you have been telling me, but I want not words but truth
from the heart?'

"'You ask secrets,' said the old fellow, peering about him into the
gathering gloom. 'Still, "a spear for a spear and a shield for a
shield," as our saying runs. I have spoken no lie. The king _does_ mean
to fight, not because he wants to, but because the regiments swear that
they will wash their assegais; they who have never seen blood since that
battle of the Tugela in which we two played a part, and if he will not
suffer it, well, there are more of his race! Also he means to fight
thus,' and he gave me some very useful information, that is, information
which would have been useful if those in authority had deigned to pay
any attention to it when I passed it on.

"Just as he had finished speaking I thought that I heard a sound in the
dense green bush behind us. It reminded me of the noise a man makes
when he tries to stifle a cough, and frightened me. For if we had been
overheard by a spy, Magepa was as good as dead, and the sooner I was