Hendricks the Hunter; Or, The Border Farm: A Tale of Zululand

by William Henry Giles Kingston

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

  PREPARATIONS FOR THE DEFENCE.

  Mrs Broderick did not feel quite satisfied with herself at havingallowed Rupert and so many men to quit the farm. Percy noticed that shewas less at her ease than usual. She at length desired him to take alook-out on the platform to ascertain if his brother and Crawford werereturning.

  "They are not likely to be back for some time," he answered, "so that Iam afraid I shall not be able to report their appearance in thedistance."

  "Then, my dear Percy, take a survey of the country round, especially onthe opposite side of the river. Perhaps the Zulus may be coming back;and should they find out how few persons there are at the farm, they maydemand Mangaleesu, and threaten us with an attack should we refuse togive him up."

  "Pray set your heart at rest on that point, mother," answered Percy. "Iwill, as you desire it, take a look round, though I am pretty sure notto see any one. Supposing the Zulus were to come, we would close thegates and keep them out."

  "But when they see only you on the platform they would force it open,"said Mrs Broderick.

  "They would find that no easy matter, while I should be peppering themfrom above," said Percy, laughing. "I will mount the two swivel guns onthe platform above the gate, and I will carry up all our spare rifles,so that I can pop away briskly at the fellows if they approach withhostile intent."

  "Were you to do that, you would expose yourself, and they would soonfind out that there was only one person defending the walls," said MrsBroderick.

  "I have a bright idea," exclaimed Percy. "What do you say to lettingthe girls dress up in Rupert's and my clothes? Perhaps we shall alsofind some among my father's and Crawford's which would suit them. Theymight show themselves while the enemy appeared at a distance, and thenget out of harm's way."

  Mrs Broderick could not help smiling, notwithstanding her anxiety atPercy's proposal.

  "The girls will be ready to do anything that is necessary, but I trustthat after all no enemies will come near us, and I only wish you, as aprecautionary measure, to convince yourself that none are in theneighbourhood," she said.

  "Very well, mother, I will go, and shout out loud enough for you all tohear, if I see any one," answered Percy. "Then let the girls put ontheir male attire and hurry up, with muskets in their hands, to theramparts. They need not put on any lower garments, as the Zulus wouldonly see their heads and shoulders. By the bye, if they were to rig upa few dummies, it might assist to deceive the enemy, and they might beleft to be shot at in case they should have firearms among them."

  On leaving his mother, Percy shouted to his sisters to come and hear theproposal he had to make.

  The young ladies, who had been employed in various ways at the back ofthe premises, hearing his voice, hurried round to ascertain what hewanted. He had by this time reached the platform.

  "I was telling mother that, should any enemy appear, I would advise youall to rig up in our clothes. I forgot Biddy; she would be a host inherself, if she will rout out father's old uniform coat and his cockedhat and sword. If she flourishes the blade in the rays of the sun, andrushes about here and there, she'll make the enemy believe that we havea large garrison, and they will hesitate to approach us. TellMangaleesu that he must disguise himself, and that he will not berecognised in a round hat and big necktie; and his wife too, she willprove useful. `We shall do finely,' as Denis would say, and now I'lljust look out and see if any enemy is at hand. In all probability theZulus have given up their search for Mangaleesu as hopeless, supposinghim by this time to be miles away from the frontier, so you need notbegin your preparations just yet, though I should like to see Biddydressed up in our father's cocked hat and uniform coat, with a sword byher side. She'd make a fine picture of an Amazon."

  Having thus delivered himself, Percy placed his telescope at his eye,and slowly sweeping it round, took in every spot between the farm andthe most distant part of the landscape.

  "Do you see any one?" asked Maud, who had climbed up and stood by hisside.

  "Nothing moving that I can make out," he answered; "but that, of course,does not prove that no one is coming. Perhaps a whole army of Zulus maybe advancing behind the trees, and it will be only by a lucky chancethat my glass is pointed at them at the moment they are crossing someopen space."

  "You don't really think they are coming, do you?" asked Maud, in asomewhat anxious tone.

  "Of course not; but I almost wish they would, that we might have anopportunity of putting my admirable plan of defence into execution. I'dgive anything to see Biddy hurling defiance at the savages from theramparts. I'm confident that we should make an heroic defence, andimmortalise our names."

  "I wish you would not joke about so serious a matter," exclaimed Maud."What would be the use of immortalising our names if we were all to bekilled?"

  "I don't mean that we should be killed," said Percy. "My idea is thatwe should drive them back defeated and discomfited. I confess that Ishould like to have old Vermack and a few of our other men to follow upthe enemy. Depend upon it, they would give a good account of all theycaught sight of. The Dutchman, who hates the Zulus with all his heart,would knock them over like ninepins."

  "Oh, don't speak in that way!" said Maud. "But are you sure that you donot see any one coming? Pray do take another look round with yourglass. I daresay you are right. But mother is unusually anxious, and Idon't think she would be so unless there was a strong impression on hermind that danger is at hand."

  "Well, I'll make another examination of the surrounding world," saidPercy; and he again took up the glass, and resting it on the top of thewall, swept the country. "Don't start back with terror if I say that Isee a regiment of Zulus in the distance. They may not be intending tocome here. Perhaps Cetchwayo is at their head, and he may merely bemaking a visit of inspection round his father's territories."

  "But do you really mean to say that you see a regiment crossing theriver?" asked Maud, in a somewhat alarmed tone.

  "No; I was only supposing the matter," said Percy, laughing. "In caseany may have crossed over, and be creeping up on our side, I'll now turnmy glass in that direction."

  He was for some time silent, while Maud watched his countenance.Suddenly he exclaimed--

  "Yes, I do see something moving. Now don't tumble down off theplatform, Maud; for whether they are men or beasts I cannot yet clearlymake out. Yes, I see now; there is a man leading a horse with one handand a small animal with the other. I do believe it is Crawford. Theanimal is a quagga. Every now and then the creature begins to friskabout and pull away from him. He has a hard matter to get it along,that is very evident. Now he stops and is patting the creature, nowthey are coming on again. Now the little brute is kicking and plunging,trying to bite him; but he holds on manfully. I wish that I could goand help him; but I must not desert my post. I guess how it is; he hasmanaged to catch the quagga, and is bringing it in to try and tame it,very likely to present to one of you girls."

  "Not for me or Rose. If it's for one of us, it's for Helen," exclaimedMaud. "He evidently admires her, though she is too busy to admire himin return. At all events, we shall have him as an addition to thegarrison, should the Zulus come before Rupert and the men with himreturn."

  "I have been looking out for them, but I don't see them. Crawford,however, will be here presently, and tell us what they are about, sothat we may know when to expect them."

  Percy had taken two or three turns on the platform, when he suddenlyexclaimed, "I do believe there are some people coming down the mountain,but who they are I cannot make out, though there appear to be a goodmany of them. Maud, do you go down and tell Helen and Rose and Biddy toget ready. I'll fire the signals to let the men know they are to drivein the cattle. Crawford will be here long before the Zulus can crossthe river, even if he doesn't mount his horse and let the young quaggago. Don't alarm our mother, that's all. I say, Maud," he added, as hissister was hastening away, "before you do anything e
lse, send Biddy herewith the swivel guns. One at a time is as much as she can carry, and Ihave got a rope to hoist them up. There are places already fitted tofix them in; and then tell her to bring along the muskets and a goodstore of ammunition. Let Mangaleesu know what is wanted, and he'll helpher, and his wife too. As long as they do not show themselves, there isno reason why they should not come out of their retreat."

  Maud hastened away to obey these directions, and Percy resumed hislook-out through the telescope. He was more than ever sure that aconsiderable force was coming over the hill,--a force, too, which tookno pains to conceal itself. This might prove that they came with nohostile intentions, or it might be that, confident in their ownstrength, they were indifferent to being discovered.

  "I wish that Rupert and the hunters were not away," said Percy tohimself. "This may be no joking matter; at the same time we must put ona bold face, and not allow the savages to suppose that we are daunted bytheir numbers. I only hope that Rupert will be back before they crossthe river, for it would be serious were he to be caught by them; andthen perhaps my father and Lionel will be coming, and they may besurprised by the cunning rascals."

  Again and again Percy turned his glass to the eastward.

  "Hurrah! that's one good thing; the fellows have halted just about thespot where they were before encamped."

  His remarks to himself were interrupted by Biddy's voice.

  "Sure, we've been after bringing yer one of thim big pop guns, MastherPercy; but how will ye git it up there?"

  And, looking down, he saw her and Mangaleesu carrying a swivel gunbetween them. The Zulu showed himself to be more of an adept insecuring a rope than was Biddy, who at once climbed up to the platform.The swivel was soon hoisted up, and mounted in the place intended forit. Mangaleesu in the meantime had brought out the other, which in likemanner was quickly got into position.

  "Now for the muskets, Biddy," cried Percy, who felt himself of no slightimportance at being actually in command of the fort; his spirits roseaccordingly.

  Biddy, Mangaleesu, and Kalinda quickly returned with muskets andammunition.

  "Now go and rig yourselves out in the fashion I told Maud that you mustall do; and be ready to come up here as soon as the Zulus reach the bankof the river, from which they can see us clearly."

  Percy had at first made the proposal half in fun, but his sisters andBiddy took it in right down earnest, although he scarcely supposed thatthey would really do as he proposed. He had made Mangaleesu understandthat he must be ready to assist in hoisting up the drawbridge, as itwould require the strength of the whole party to perform the operation.He did not, however, intend to hoist it up until the Zulus approachednearer, as he hoped before that time that not only Crawford would havearrived, but that his brother and the men would have reached the farm.As far as he could judge, when looking through the telescope, the Zuluswere preparing to encamp, although they might have had some other reasonfor halting.

  He had kept his glass continually fixed on them to watch theirmovements; it now occurred to him to turn it in the opposite direction,when to his satisfaction he saw that Crawford had almost got up to thefarm. He waved to him to come, and then made signs to Mangaleesu, whowas waiting below, to open the gate.

  Just as Crawford, leading his horse and the quagga filly--as tame as adog--crossed the drawbridge, Biddy and the three young ladies came outof the house, dressed exactly as Percy had suggested, with hats andcoats, sashes round their waists, and rifles in their hands. He startedwith astonishment, unable to comprehend the cause of their strangemasquerading.

  "I beg your pardon, young ladies," he said, "but I did not at first knowyou in your disguise. Did you take me for an enemy?"

  "We should not have let you in so easily," answered Helen. "Percy hasseen the Zulus approaching, and being afraid that they would attack thefort before you and Rupert had returned, we have got ready to defend itto the best of our power."

  "I consider that Percy is mistaken, although I have no doubt that youhave made the best preparations for defence," said Crawford, inclined totreat the whole affair as a joke.

  "Sure, if the inemy do show themselves near this, we will put them tothe right about," cried Biddy, flourishing the captain's sword.

  "Let me secure my horse and this little zebra filly which I have broughtfor you, Miss Helen; I will then join Percy, and ascertain what islikely to happen," said Crawford.

  Helen duly thanked the young Englishman for his intended gift, but asthe little animal at that moment took it into its head to grow restive,and kick, scream, and prance about, she did not show any inclination toapproach it.

  Crawford having taken his horse and little captive round to the yard,hurried up to the platform, where Percy was standing. Looking throughthe telescope, he was satisfied Percy was right in supposing that thepeople he saw below the hill were Zulus. They were probably not awarethat they could be distinguished at so great a distance. He then turnedhis glass in the direction he hoped Rupert and his men would be coming.

  "I see their waggon," he exclaimed, "although they appear to me to bemoving very slowly. I tell you what, Percy, the best thing I can do isto set off and hasten Rupert and his men. It will be better to lose thewaggon than to have them cut off. Depend upon it, I'll not spare whipor spur."

  "Thank you, Mr Crawford; pray go by all means," said Mrs Broderick,who had just then come out of the house. "I was wrong in letting Rupertstart, but I pray that he may be back before the Zulus reach the river."

  "No fear of that, mother, as Crawford is going for him," said Percy."We'll get in the waggon too, with its load of meat, which will betterenable us to stand a siege."

  Crawford, without further delay, threw himself on his horse, while Percyreturned to the platform to watch what the Zulus were about.

  "They are still halting," he shouted out, "though I suspect they willsend forward scouts to reconnoitre our fortifications. Come up, girls;come up, Biddy, and show yourselves on the ramparts. I am half inclinedto fire off the guns, but it may be wiser not to let them know that weare prepared for them until they come nearer, as they probably expect totake us by surprise, and the disappointment will be the greater whenthey see armed men on the walls."

  The young ladies and Biddy quickly climbed up, and Percy placed them atintervals, with muskets on their shoulders, and told them to walk aboutlike sentinels.

  "Now, Biddy, flourish your sword, and make it flash in the sun. Thatwill do famously. They'll see it in the distance, and suppose that wehave a dozen men with bayonets, at least."

  The girls, forgetting any alarm they might at first have felt, laughedheartily at Biddy's vehement gestures, as she carried out Percy'sdirections to the full. Now she rushed to one end of the platform, nowto the other, giving vent to her feelings by various war shouts in hernative Celtic.

  "You, Helen, keep a look-out on Crawford, and tell me how he gets on,"said Percy, handing her the glass, having first taken a glance throughit himself.

  "Yes, I can see him clearly," said Helen. "He is galloping along at atremendous rate, and I fancy that I can make out Rupert and the waggonin the distance."

  Helen, who had put down her musket, showed no inclination to take hereye from the telescope.

  "Hurrah!" cried Percy, "here come the herdsmen with the cattle. Ithought they would not be long after they heard the signal. They willhelp us to defend the walls. Perhaps Crawford will fall in with somesettlers, and we shall soon have a sufficient number of men to dispensewith your services, girls."

  "But we don't wish to have our services dispensed with," cried Rose."We want to make ourselves useful."

  "But I don't want you to get killed or wounded," said Percy. "Some ofthe Zulus may have firearms, or they may venture near enough to hurltheir assegais. You will have done all that is necessary by showingyourselves as at present in martial array, and I feel very sure that theenemy, when they see you, will defer their attack until they come upunder cover of the darkness to
try and take us by surprise."

  Percy allowed Helen to keep the glass while he was employed in loadingthe swivels, and pointing them in the direction the Zulus would probablyattempt to approach the gate. She in the meantime was watchingCrawford's progress; though he and his horse looked no larger than anant crossing over a large field, she still kept her eye upon him untilshe could report that he had joined Rupert. The latter was riding aheadof the waggon till Crawford got up to him, when she saw both of them,followed by the two Kaffir hunters, come galloping at headlong speedtowards the farm, while the waggon still kept moving on as before,though at a faster rate.

  As soon as the cattle had been driven into the kraal, Percy supplied theHottentots with fresh ammunition, and posted them in different parts ofthe walls, that they might make as great a show as possible, taking careto keep his white warriors, as he called his three sisters and Biddy, inthe front.

  "Wouldn't Denis be in his element, if he were here!" he said to Maud, ashe passed her. "He would be flying about in all directions, and puttingspirit into every one. By the bye, I quite forgot the dummies. Do godown to mother, and see if she cannot rig out half a dozen, and handthem up as soon as they are ready. She might also make Mangaleesuunderstand what we want, and he'll manufacture a whole army of Kaffirwarriors with assegais and shields. It would make the enemy supposethat we had a strong force of natives inside, in addition to our ownmen."

  Maud did not like leaving the platform until Percy assured her that hewas in earnest, and that such an array of dummies as he proposed would,he was certain, have a good effect in preventing the Zulus from comingclose to the walls.

  "They are cunning fellows, and would soon detect the dummies, if theywere to remain stationary; but we will outwit them by moving them aboutand putting them in different positions," he said to Helen. "I must,however, take another look through the telescope. Here come Crawfordand Rupert, so that you don't want it any longer."

  The horsemen indeed could now be seen clearly by the naked eye,galloping towards the fort. Percy turned his glass towards the party ofZulus.

  "As far as I can make out they are considerably diminished in numbers,and I suspect that some of them have been stealing along towards theriver, intending to cross lower down. If so, we must keep a watch uponthem. I can see the channel of the river over a considerable distance,and they won't get over without being detected." Percy watched for sometime, and at length said, "I can see nothing on the surface of thestream, not even a crocodile or hippopotamus. The Zulus, knowing thatthey have a chance of meeting one of those creatures, won't venture tocross unless in considerable numbers."

  "Here come Rupert and Mr Crawford!" cried Helen in a joyful tone. "Weshall be safe now, at all events."

  The horsemen soon rode in at the gate, which had not yet been closed.Rupert was as much amused as Crawford had been at seeing his sisters intheir military attire. He fully approved of all Percy had done; andwhen he heard of the proposed dummies, he thought the idea excellent.While Crawford, who possessed a great deal of mechanical ingenuity, wentin to assist Mrs Broderick, he hurried to the back of the house, wherehe found Mangaleesu and Kalinda employed in manufacturing Kaffirwarriors. They had collected a number of poles and sticks, and hadobtained from the storehouse a sufficient quantity of skins for dressingup their figures. Kalinda had brought in from the garden about a dozenpumpkins and melons. These served admirably for heads, while some otherskins, bent over oblong hoops, formed shields. Indeed, Mangaleesu hadalready put together a sufficient supply of shields and bundles ofseeming assegais, to arm the whole of the dummies. They had notforgotten to obtain some pigment, with which to darken the faces oftheir figures.

  "Very good, indeed. The enemy will fully believe that these are realKaffirs," said Rupert. "Your idea of pumpkins for heads is capital.I'll take some in for my mother; but we'll paint them white to suit thedresses of the figures."

  "I suppose I must give up the command to you," said Percy to Rupert,when the latter returned to the platform.

  "You have succeeded so well, that I should not think of supersedingyou," answered his brother. "I'll obey your orders, although I willexert my own wits, and consider what is best to be done."

  "The most important object that I can see at present is to prevent theZulus from capturing the waggon," said Percy. "If any of them gotowards it, we must make a dash out and drive them back. I'll go, ifyou like, with Crawford and four men; six of us would keep a hundred atbay."

  "No, if any one goes, I will," said Rupert. "You are in commandremember, and must not leave the fortress. I am not quite certain thatit would be prudent, but the two Hottentots with the waggon have theirarms, and as they will fight bravely enough from behind a waggon, we mayreckon that our force will consist of eight men. It will assist toconvince the enemy that we have a large garrison in the fort."

  As yet, however, no Zulus had appeared, and there seemed everyprobability that the waggon would get in without being attacked. ThoughPercy kept his glass turned generally towards the river, fully expectingto catch sight of the Zulus passing across it, he occasionally directedit towards their main body, which remained as before, stationary. Hehad just pointed it in that direction, when he observed a movement amongthe dark-skinned warriors. He saw several go to a height, and then setoff running at full speed towards the north. He pointed them out toRupert, who, as he looked through the telescope, exclaimed--

  "What if they should be going to meet our father, who very likely may becoming; or, if not, they may have caught sight of some messenger he hassent. I trust that either one or the other may have seen them in timeand pushed on."

  "I feel sure you are right," said Percy. "We must not let our motherknow, however, it will agitate her too much. I am very glad you did notset off to meet the waggon. I'll tell you what we ought to do. We mustpull across in the boat, and be ready to receive whoever is coming. Itwill be some time before the Zulus can reach the river; and I wouldsuggest that you and Crawford, with four men, go down, and while you andhe take the boat across, the others with their muskets can cover yourpassage, and keep the Zulus in check."

  "I agree with you that is the best thing to be done," said Rupert."You're a soldier, every inch of you."

  Percy was flattered at his brother's compliment, and his readiness tofollow his suggestions, without showing the slightest tinge of jealousy.

  "In the meantime," continued Rupert, "we had better get up the dummies,and post them in the most conspicuous places, so as to make the greatestshow possible."

  "I advise that they be fixed a little way from the ramparts, so that wecan pass in front of them," said Percy. "Although they should be placedwhere they can be seen by the enemy, it would be as well to conceal asmuch of them as possible, or their real character may be detected."

  "Well, do you continue to keep a look-out," said Rupert; "and I will godown and carry out our proposed plan."

  Rupert found Crawford and Mangaleesu on their way with some of thedummies, which at a little distance had greatly the appearance of livingpeople. Mangaleesu's were decidedly the best, his figures admirablyrepresenting Kaffir warriors in various attitudes, prepared for battle.

  Under Percy's and Rupert's directions they were placed as had beenproposed.

  "But we ought to be going down to the boat," cried Rupert; and hesummoned the men he had collected. "Percy, you fire a musket if you seeany Zulus approaching the river, who may be shut out from our view, andanother, if you observe any crossing in the distance; then we shall knowhow to act. Come along, Crawford!"

  They hurried out, running at full speed, as they were convinced thatthere was no time to be lost. On reaching the bank of the river, theycould see farther up the stream than they could from the farm.

  Percy was in the meantime watching to catch sight of the Zulus who hadgone to the northward. They were still visible as they made their wayamong the trees. By this he knew that if his father was coming, theyhad not yet succeeded in
cutting him off. While still watching them, heheard the shouts of the Hottentot drivers and the crack of their whips,and he had the satisfaction of seeing the waggon approaching, the pooroxen covered with foam, and trotting at a speed at which they hadprobably never before moved when yoked. In a few minutes the waggondrove over the drawbridge into the farm, greatly to the satisfaction ofPercy, both on account of the drivers, who, had they been overtaken,would have run a great risk of losing their lives, and of the store ofmeat which they were bringing in.

  Rupert and his party lost no time in launching the boat. As yet, as helooked to the north, he could see no one, nor were the Zulus visible tothe naked eye. Confident, however, that Percy would give warning,should any approach the river, he and Crawford agreed to pull across,and having stationed their men under cover, they at once shoved off.They were soon over. Rupert landed, and ran up the bank that he mightobtain a more extensive view than he could in the boat.

  "Hurrah! here come four horsemen, and one of them, I am sure, is myfather, and another must be Lionel," he cried. "They are dashing alongat a tremendous rate. They have seen the Zulus, depend upon it, andprobably expect to have to swim their horses across. How fortunate wecame over for them!"

  Just as he spoke the report of a musket from the fort was heard, it wasfollowed immediately afterwards by another.

  "That shows that the Zulus are coming this way," he shouted. "Yes, Isee them, a whole band of yelling savages. On they come, clashing theirshields and shaking their assegais, fully expecting to gain an easyvictory; but my father and Lionel will be here first."

  Rupert stood ready to rush down to the boat, should it be necessary tosave his life; for, brave as he was, he knew that it would be wrong torun any risk of throwing it needlessly away. He calculated that therewere twenty or thirty Zulus approaching, running at their utmost speed;but the ground was rough in the extreme, and in many places theirprogress was impeded by thorny bushes, through which they could notforce their way. Though they were coming on at a fearfully rapid rate,the horsemen were moving still faster. Another shot was fired from thefort. This Rupert took to be a signal that some more Zulus werecrossing the river lower down. If they made good speed, they might cutoff his men stationed on the western bank. He became doubly anxious,therefore, for the arrival of his father. He could now distinguish himclearly, as he could also Lionel and Vermack and the trusty Matyana.The Zulus would, he hoped, after all be disappointed. Standing on thehighest part of the bank, he waved his hat and then bounded down to theboat, which Captain Broderick and his companions could not see, to showthem that she was there, ready to carry them across. The only fear wasthat one of their horses might fall, for it was evident by the way theykept their whips moving that they were hard pressed. On they came,surrounded by a cloud of dust, as they passed over a sandy tract.

  "They'll do it! they'll do it!" cried Rupert. "Stand by, Crawford, toshove off the moment we get into the boat. I'm half inclined to send ashot among those Zulus. I should knock over one of them if they comemuch nearer."

  Crawford stood holding the oar ready, and watching his companion.Presently he saw Rupert springing down the bank; directly afterwardsCaptain Broderick and Lionel's heads appeared above it, followed bythose of the Dutchman and the Kaffir.

  The first two threw themselves from their horses. "Well done, my dearboy! well done!" exclaimed Captain Broderick. "We will drive our horsesinto the water, and they will swim after the boat."

  The Dutchman and Kaffir, however, disdaining this mode of crossing, kepttheir saddles, urging on the other two steeds, while the Captain andLionel took their seats in the boat. There was no time to ask questionsor give answers. Rupert could only say, as he gave a gripe of the handto Lionel, "I am sure that you must be my brother Walter. I amdelighted to see you. Now, Crawford, shove off."

  Rupert, as he spoke, grasped his oar, and he and Crawford strained everynerve to urge the boat through the water. Scarcely had they gothalf-way across when a body of Zulus appeared on the top of the bank,and began to hurl their assegais at them; but the moment they did so avolley from the west bank poured in among them, making them rapidlyspring back, for every shot had told, and they probably expected a muchlarger dose to follow. Captain Broderick and Lionel, having unslungtheir rifles, also opened fire on the enemy. This gave the men time toreload, as also to enable Vermack and the Kaffir to get out of the reachof the assegais, they and the horses having fortunately escaped thefirst shower.

  "What! did you expect the farm to be attacked?" asked Captain Broderick,looking up at the walls. "How did you manage to collect so large a bodyof defenders?"

  "We originated them, sir," answered Crawford. "You'll see who they areas we get nearer." He could not manage to say more, exerting himself ashe was at the moment, nor did Captain Broderick ask further questions.

  Landing, they drew up the boat, for they had no time to carry her to theharbour under the walls. They immediately joined the men, and as theZulus again appeared on the bank, drove them back, enabling Vermack andMatyana to get to land with the horses.

  The moment they had fired the volley another shot from the fort summonedRupert to look down the stream, where he caught sight, though still,however, at some distance, of another body of the enemy who were comingup on the western bank.

  "There's no time to be lost, sir," he said to his father. "We must getinto the fort and haul up the drawbridge, or we shall have a number ofthose fellows upon us."

  Captain Broderick, seeing the importance of this advice, called out toVermack and the Kaffir, to drive up the horses. The whole party thenhurried on as fast as they could move towards the farm. Percy hadthoughtfully stationed several men at the ropes to haul up thedrawbridge as soon as they were over.

  They were not a moment too soon. Scarcely was the drawbridge securedwhen the Zulus who had been coming up the west bank and the party whohad pursued Captain Broderick, and who had now crossed, uniting, made adesperate rush to get in.

  No sooner, however, had they got within range of Percy's swivels, thanboth were fired in rapid succession, throwing their ranks intoconfusion, while he, picking up musket after musket, began to blaze awayat them. This kept them in check and enabled Captain Broderick and therest of the men to reach the ramparts, who immediately opened so hot afire, that the Zulus, wanting courage to face it, hastily retreated,believing that the farm was defended by a far larger garrison than theyhad supposed.