The Golden Rock Part 41

"Enough," said the Gaika; "these are for children. Stand still and fight."

The Zulu paused, astonished, then, with his shield before him, he advanced, crouching to the attack, and springing suddenly into the air struck swiftly a blow that would have settled the fate of Klaas had he not been prepared, but springing lightly to one side, he rapped his enemy across his broad back.

The Zulu bounded forward out of reach, turned, and again advanced impetuously, his glaring eyeb.a.l.l.s showing above the feathered tuft at the end of his shield.

This time Klaas did not wait, but swinging his five feet of tough kerrie, he delivered, in rapid succession, three sweeping blows, one at the head, the next at the body, and the last at the bare toes, and then sprang back to keep the proper distance for a telling blow. The Zulu rushed in again, to be again beaten back by blows delivered with lightning rapidity, one of which drew the blood from his forehead; then he sprang from side to side, advanced, retreated, and feinted, until his movements were almost too rapid to follow, and at last bounded forward with stick uplifted.

"By Jove!" muttered Webster, "he will kill him."

The Gaika had his kerrie trailing from his side, and as the Zulu bounded through the air he made a sweeping blow upwards, which, falling full on the Zulu's elbow, made him drop his stick. As it fell, Klaas knocked it away with a backhanded blow, and sprang between it and his foe.

There was a fierce cry from the Induna, a triumphant shout from the two white men, and the tall Zulu, standing with his arm at his side, looked with bloodshot eyes and curling lips at the despised Kaffir. A minute he stood panting heavily, then his hand stole behind his shield, and he drew forth a short-hafted, long-bladed stabbing a.s.segai.

"Stop!" thundered Hume.

"It is a fight," said the Induna, sullenly fingering his a.s.segai.

"All right, my baas," said Klaas, and, with his left arm across his body, he shook his stick.

The Zulu threw forward his shield at full length, and walked forward warily, determined to get in one stab, his right arm held back out of reach of that whirling stick.

"It is murder," said Webster hoa.r.s.ely.

Twice the long blade darted out like the tongue of a snake, and the second time it pierced the Gaika's thigh; but the Gaika was not idle, and the air whistled to his rushing blows, and the drumming on the hard shield was continuous. Still the Zulu pressed relentlessly, though the blood trickled over his face, and his shoulders showed the marks of angry blows. At last he gave his war-cry, "Zu-tu," and throwing his shield above his head, made one fierce thrust. The blade was caught, however, in the folds of the blanket, and the kerrie came with a sounding crack across the unprotected shins, bringing the Zulu to the ground. Klaas picked up the a.s.segai, and threw his hand back to stab, but Hume, expecting this, reached his side and seized his wrist. Then the prostrate Zulu bounded to his feet, and ran to his friends for another a.s.segai.

"Enough!" cried Hume sternly. "Go!"

In five minutes the little party were left alone, the Induna and his followers having moved off without a word.

"Are you hurt, Klaas?" said Hume, while Webster shook the Kaffir by his bruised and bleeding hand.

"Neh, baas; the Zulu is no good with kerrie. Will baas give me supje brandy?"

The baas gave him two, which Klaas drank with a smack of his lips, then with his eyes still glowing, he swelled out his chest and sang his song of victory.

An hour afterwards, when his wounds had been looked to, the order was given to inspan.

The oxen were grazing near the waggon when the Zulus appeared; but now they were missing. A few minutes' search showed them far down the plain, being driven away, while the sun shone on the spears of a large number of blacks seated in a circle behind them.

Hume brought out the gla.s.s and examined the group.

"There is the Induna," he said, shutting the gla.s.s and turning with a set face to Webster and Miss Anstrade.

"Well," said Webster, "of course he is there; but you have paid him, and he will send the oxen back."

"No, they mean trouble. They came here prepared to kill Klaas, and they have stolen our oxen so that they can attack us at their leisure. What do you say, Klaas?"

"Yah, sieur. They think Kaffir too quick, and they want to kill him first, then kill masters after. Chief tell his people now that we hurt one of his men. That is enough."

"It is pretext enough," said Hume bitterly; "and I should not have allowed the fight."

"We have four guns," said Webster, "and plenty of ammunition and provisions if they attack us."

"And if they don't," said Miss Anstrade quietly, "we must leave the waggon and walk."

"We have first to think of defence," said Hume gloomily, eyeing the waggon and the great tree. "We shall want time to talk over our plans and get together the articles we want. They may attack to-night." He paced off the width of the tree, then did the same to the waggon. "That is it, we must draw the waggon up parallel with the trunk, leaving a s.p.a.ce of twelve feet between, then build a turf wall with an outer fence of thorns."

This was done. After strenuous efforts the heavy waggon was drawn up, and with pick, shovel, and axe they set to work in feverish haste.

"They are moving," said Miss Anstrade, who was keeping watch, "and coming this way."

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

THE ATTACK.

"They are coming this way," said Miss Anstrade.

"Open fire at them," said Hume, "when they come within range," and he stooped his back to widen the trench around the little camp.

Webster drove in his pick, and looked sidelong at Laura, who stood with her rifle in her hand, staring blankly at Hume.

"I may hit them," she said falteringly.

"So much the better," was the grim response.

The sod wall rose higher against the outside wheels of the waggon, and the Gaika had already lopped off a large number of branches from the mimosa-trees, together with some stunted wacht-en-beetje bushes.

"We must close up the ends with bags and boxes. Let us have them out."

"I can see the colour of their shields now, and some of the men are springing into the air."

"They mean to attack, then," said Hume, pausing a moment to glance down the hill. "Put up the five hundred yards' sight."

"Hark, I hear them shouting."

Klaas heard, too, and as he swung the axe, he answered with a deep-chested war-cry.

A moment later there was a dull report, and a bullet whistled overhead.

"By Jove, they have rifles, and there can be no mistake about their intention. Shoot, Laura."

The little rifle came to the shoulder, and her white cheek was pressed to the b.u.t.t, but the barrel shook, and she lowered it. She looked round at the two men, and seeing the look of anxiety on their faces as they hurried on with their work, she threw the rifle up again and pressed the trigger.

A deep, booming shout replied.

"I hope I have not hit anyone," she said anxiously.