The listener lay, cursing himself for a very complete idiot. For the mention of firearms brought back to him that at the present moment he was totally unarmed. He had unslung his revolver when he lay down to sleep, and on coming out of the hut had left it there. Did any of them discover his presence now he was defenceless! Now it was urged that the plan of stealing upon and murdering their two guests in their sleep was a bad one, and impolitic in that it would cause inquiries to be made, and so put the other Amakiwa on their guard. Then another voice said-- "You cannot kill the white _isanusi_. His _muti_ is too powerful." "Ha!" "Too powerful," went on the speaker. "_Hau_! he is a real _isanusi_ this one. He has a magic house, wherein he brings down fire from the sky--_lapa gu' Buluwayo_. I know, for I have seen. _Impela_!" The murmur of wonder or incredulity evoked by this statement having subsided, the other continued-- "I am not lying. I saw it. The Amakiwa in that house bent to the very ground, and sang great songs in praise of that wonder--fearing it. There were captains among them too, ha! Now I would ask if the fighting Amakiwa feared this _isanusi_ and his _muti_--they fearing nothing--how then shall we have power against him? It may not be." Notwithstanding his peril a ripple of mirth ran through the listener, as he grasped what the speaker was feeling around--and which meant that that unlearned savage had by some means or other obtained a glimpse into the church at Buluwayo what time his travelling companion was exercising his sacerdotal functions, and was now recording his impressions of that experience. "But Qubani--he too is an _isanusi_" said another voice. "He can match his power against that of this white one. Is it not so, Qubani, thou wise one?" And from the tone, the listener gathered that the man addressed was held in great respect. It inspired in him no surprise, only rekindled interest, for he had heard of this Qubani as an _isanusi_ of some renown. "Meddle not with the white _isanusi_" was the laconic but decided answer. It was received with a hum of respectful assent, followed by a moment of silence. "And the other, U' Lamonti. Shall we not kill him, my father?" Again the listener's nerves thrilled as he crept a little more forward to catch the answer. It came. "He may not be hurt--not now. He is under the protection of the white _isanusi_." This dictum was accepted without question, and, very considerably relieved in his mind, Lamont was preparing to creep away, when a new discussion arose, and the first few words of it were of so momentous and startling a nature, that he decided to remain and hear more--and that at any risk. And such risk became graver and graver with every moment. CHAPTER NINE. WHAT LAMONT HEARD.