The Golden Rock Part 60

"Yebo. He lives; but he is in danger, and if you would save him you must obey me. Say that to the people."

The boy turned instantly and shouted the message, whereupon the women came forward, while the men talked.

"How do we know this is true?" asked an old man suspiciously.

"You know by the plume, by the word that your chief lies in the old place of stones, by the wound I received in his defence, by the sign of the snakeskin round my arm. I have said enough. Let those who obey the chief Umkomaas stand on this side."

Sirayo, beginning suavely, ended by ringing out in a stern command, and, quelled by the authority in his tone, a few of the young men ranged up behind him.

"What means this, son of Umkomaas? are your warriors quicker to run than to obey?"

There was a threatening murmur from the dark ma.s.s of men who had gathered opposite to Sirayo and his small party.

"Who are you that we should obey?"

"Who am I? Well do you ask, for never yet have you seen a warrior like me. I am he who was the first war chief of the Zulus of the south. I have led, I have fought, I have conquered since I was a boy like this son of Umkomaas: I am Sirayo!"

They fell back before this name, and the women fled again; for the fame of the great chief, spreading from tribe to tribe, had entered their remote valley.

"Yes, I am Sirayo, and there never was a warrior yet who would not have left all to follow him at his command. You have heard; now, without more words, will you obey?"

"Bayate!" they cried, and thundered on their s.h.i.+elds--all but a few Indunas, who would feign probe their suspicions by prolonged discussion.

"It is well. Let there be no more thought of flight. Your women will return to their kraals. The men will take their weapons and meet in the great kraal. Every man will take his place in his own regiment, and the Indunas will take their proper positions. Advance!"

Under the spell of this born leader the courage of the people returned; the men poured on in one direction, talking excitedly, and Sirayo followed with the young chief by his side, whose head was thrown back, while his eyes continually turned upon his formidable companion.

In a vast semicircle within the great kraal the men drew up in something like order, regiment on regiment, to the number of two thousand, each regiment with s.h.i.+elds differing in colour from those carried by the others.

Sirayo marched through the lines, towering a head above them, and the rows of gleaming eyes followed him, trying in the dark to decipher the features of their new leader. It was an impressive scene--this large body of men, silent and waiting, drawn up under the stars within the wide circle of huts.

Sirayo smiled grimly on returning to the head of the column, after judging the number, to think that so large a body should dream of flying before the small band of Zulus.

"Your enemies are few," he said; "you are many. Why did you think of flight?"

"They had killed our fetich, and the witch-doctors said we were doomed,"

came the response.

"They lied; they were in league with the enemy. Which of the regiments suffered most in the fight?"

"We of the Rock," said a young Induna proudly; "nearly half of our brothers lie beyond, and they fell facing the foe. I, Inyame, say it."

"The Regiment of the Rock will draw up on my right."

There was a movement, and from the ma.s.s, with active steps, a body of about three hundred drew up. Sirayo recognised the red and white s.h.i.+elds of the men who had first sided with him.

"The regiment of tried fighting men will now draw up on my left."

"It is the Regiment of the Snake," said a deep voice, and at the command a body of about five hundred fine warriors marched to the left, giving a booming shout as they fell into columns.

"Who leads the Regiment of the Snake?"

"I, Chanda."

"Chanda, listen! You will at once lead your men down the river towards the place of stones. On the further bank you will see the fires of a band of Zulus. Camp over against them, singing your war-song. In the morning, when they retire, you will cross the river and attack them in the rear."

"Will they retire?"

"I have said it. Heed my words. When they retreat you must cross and follow. Depart, and make much noise."

Chanda gave his orders, and the regiment, accompanied by a shrill whistling from those who remained, filed out of the gates and went chanting into the night, and as they sang they struck the hafts of their a.s.segais against their s.h.i.+elds.

"Chanda has done well. Let the others obey as promptly. I want, now, picked men from the regiments in the centre to make good the Regiment of the Rock. Inyami, select your men."

The young Induna advanced and touched, with his a.s.segai, the men he wanted, ticking them off on his fingers, until two hundred stood out and fell in with the Regiment of the Rock.

"Son of Umkomaas, little chief with the big heart, I place you over the men who remain in the centre. You will sleep here, but when the sun is up you will march quickly to the old stones where your father lies."

"Shall I not go at once, O chief?"

"Nay, do as I say. Inyami, listen. The largest body of Zulus lie at the place of the s.h.i.+ning Rock. Is it not so?"

"It is so, great chief."

"You will lead on to the nearest drift. We will cross the river to-night with your regiment, and draw up before the Zulus. There must be no noise. We steal like panthers on the prey--silent and hungry. If any man speaks so much as one word it will be his last. Do you heed?"

"Eweh, O chief!"

"Come, then;" and placing himself beside Inyami, he led the regiment towards the river. The war-song of Chanda's regiment on the march came plainly on the wind, and in response they heard the deep booming of the Zulu chant. The enemy recognised that some movement was afoot, though in their confidence they never expected that their defeated foes would dare to attack them.

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.

AT BAY!

When Sirayo left, Webster, chafing at the narrow limits of the stifling den, knocked away the loose stone and wriggled through into the inner chamber, where they had pa.s.sed the previous night in a stupor of sodden sleep. The Gaika presently glided to his side, and Laura soon struggled out to drink in the fresher air. The two men went along the pa.s.sage, still bearing its ghastly burdens.

She leant against the rough wall, with her white face to the stars, weary in body and mind, worn out by the unequal struggle against the acc.u.mulating horrors and dangers, in which there was no wild dash of romance. She was beaten. Her courage had lost its resolution; her pride had been burnt out.

"Where have you gone?" asked Hume, with a touch of reproach in his tones.

She shuddered, but did not move or speak.

"It is very dark," he muttered, as he groped about with his hands until he came upon the opening, when he thrust his head through, moving it helplessly from side to side.

"Don't!" she gasped; "you frighten me."