Hendricks the Hunter Part 13

"Do you think they'll have the barbarity to put us to death?" asked Percy. "What object can they have in doing so?"

"Those fellows think no more of killing a man than we do of snuffing out a candle. If Mangaleesu cannot persuade them to let us go, we'll have a poor chance indeed of escape."

It seemed that Denis was right in his conjectures. The dreadful old witch was evidently bent on their destruction. Still, while there's life there's hope, and Percy did not give way to despair. They both maintained as calm a manner as they could command.

Again Mangaleesu addressed the prince with a boldness which astonished the other chiefs, who regarded the dreadful old impostor with the most profound awe; but he was again out-talked, both by her and the other chiefs. Presently the men who had gone into the hut to look for Lionel returned with the astonis.h.i.+ng announcement that he was not to be found, declaring that they could not account for his disappearance.

"What has become of your companion?" asked Umbulazi.

"We were not set to watch him, and if he's not there, it's clear that he's gone," answered Denis, adding in English, "and I hope you are much the wiser for the information."

"How did he go?" asked the prince.

"If he walked, he went on two legs," answered Denis.

"But how did he get out of the hut?" inquired the Prince.

"The guards who had us in charge should answer that question," said Denis, in the same tone as before.

"Where are the guards? Send them here!" cried Umbulazi, in an angry tone.

Denis feared that the poor fellows would lose their lives, and unwilling to have them put to death, he cried out--

"They are not to blame. He is but a small boy, so he crept out by a hole, through which a large man could not have forced his way. He is with our friends long ago, I hope, so you need not trouble yourselves about him."

This answer, however, did not save the unfortunate guards, who soon approached, looking very downcast.

"I gave three prisoners into your charge; here are two, but where is the third?" asked the prince.

The three guards could not reply. At last one of them asked permission to go and search the hut. The prince told them that they might do so, but must come back and be killed, if they did not find the boy.

As may be supposed, they were a long time in making the search, and although the Zulus are very indifferent to death, yet they were naturally unwilling to go back and be killed. Denis earnestly hoped that they would try and make their escape, for he justly feared that should the prince once see blood flowing, like the savage tiger, he would be even more ready than before to shed theirs.

At last the prince, growing impatient, ordered some men to go to the hut and bring out the guards, either with or without the prisoner. The unhappy wretches were quickly dragged forward.

"Where is the boy?" asked the prince.

No answer was given.

"Kill them!" he exclaimed; and in an instant some heavy clubs descended on their heads, and each man lay in his blood, pierced by a dozen a.s.segais.

"It will be our turn next!" cried Denis. "Are you ready, Percy?"

"As much as I can be. How thankful I am that Lionel escaped!" As he spoke, a dozen warriors with their a.s.segais uplifted, still dripping with the blood of their former victims, approached; but at that moment there was a cry that some white men were coming, one of them waving a flag.

"Hold!" exclaimed Umbulazi. "It will not be wise to kill the prisoners just as their countrymen are coming. I would rather have them as friends than enemies."

Denis, who heard him speak, felt his heart bound.

"I don't think we shall die just yet," he said to Percy, "for here come Hendricks and Crawford and Umgolo, with a dozen armed men close behind them."

CHAPTER EIGHT.

THE ESCAPE.

Denis and Percy, taking advantage of the excitement which the arrival of Hendricks and his party caused among the Zulu warriors, rushed out from their midst, and before any one could stop them, they darted away in the direction their friends were coming. Lionel, who was among the first to see them, uttering a shout of joy, galloped forward, followed by Crawford.

"Jump up behind me," he cried to Denis, stretching out his hand. "We possibly may have to run for it, if Hendricks and Umbulazi don't agree."

Percy at the same moment sprang up behind Crawford, while Hendricks, ordering his party to halt, rode forward alone towards the prince, keeping however his horse well in hand, and his rifle ready for instant use.

"I come to salute you, Umbulazi, and to ask you why you detained my young companions; but as they have been restored to me I will not enter into that subject," he said, drawing up at such a distance that he might, without difficulty extricate himself should it be necessary.

"Do you come as a friend or a foe?" asked the prince.

"I come as a friend, for such I am to all the Zulu people," answered Hendricks.

"Well, as a friend I invite you to dismount and partake of a feast which will speedily be prepared to do you honour," said the prince.

"I cannot at present delay my journey," answered Hendricks, who, his keen eye having observed the expression on the countenances of several of the chiefs, greatly doubted the sincerity of the prince. He also recollected the treacherous way in which a large body of boers had been ma.s.sacred a few years before by a relative of this very man, having been beguiled by a similar invitation.

Again, however, the prince pressed him, a.s.suming so courteous an air, that he was almost persuaded to yield, when the old prophetess, disappointed at not seeing the boys put to death, came whirling up, shaking her rattle and waving her wand, and crying out to her countrymen, "Beware of the strangers! Beware of the people with pale faces! They are no friends of the Zulus. Now you have them in your power, kill them! kill them all!"

Mangaleesu on hearing this cried out to Umbulazi, "Be not deceived by her. The white men wish to be friends with the Zulus. Harm them not.

If injury is done them, the Zulus will be the sufferers."

Hendricks, who of course understood all that was said, saw that it would be the height of folly to put himself in the power of Umbulazi and his followers, and therefore, thanking Mangaleesu, whom he now recognised, for his good intentions, replied to the prince's invitation, that his mission being accomplished, he and his party must take their departure.

He was anxious for another reason to get clear of them as soon as possible; for, knowing the jealousy which existed between Umbulazi and Cetchwayo, he felt convinced that the former was about to make war on his more favoured brother, and would very likely try to detain him and his people for the purpose of compelling them to fight on his side. He therefore, uttering an "Usaleke," the usual Kaffir salutation at leaving, turned his horse's head and rode back to his companions.

"Keep ready for a start," he said; "for although we have one friend among them, I cannot depend upon the rest. Show no hurry until I give the word."

They rode on slowly, Hendricks ordering the rest of the party to go on ahead, while he brought up the rear. He had got to a short distance when Mangaleesu was heard shouting--

"Go on, go on! they try kill! No time lose!"

These words, spoken in English, were mixed up with Kaffir expressions, hurling abuse at their heads, evidently for the purpose of deceiving his countrymen.

Hendricks inwardly thanked Mangaleesu for the warning he had given; still he knew that it was important not to exhibit the slightest alarm, as by so doing he should only the more speedily tempt the Kaffirs to follow. The old witch, now finding that her intended victims were likely to escape her, or rather, that her traitorous plan for committing Umbulazi with the English--for such there can be no doubt she entertained--was a failure, shrieked out to the warriors--

"What! are you going to let the dogs escape? Come on! come on! we shall be even now in time to overtake them. Never mind what Umbulazi says.

He will thank you for destroying his enemies."

At this time she was some distance from the prince, so that her remarks were not heard by him, and no one would have ventured to repeat them.

Several of the chiefs had already been influenced by her, and a large number of the men, excited by her denunciations against the hunter and his party, uttering loud shouts, rushed forward with their a.s.segais quivering in their hands, bent on their destruction.