"That shall be presently when these are gone," said Lamont. "But first--walk round with me, and I will show you where the horses race. It is good to see the chief of all _izanusi_ again." The old ruffian complied, nothing loth. He was thinking that the more exuberant his friendliness the more completely would he lull all suspicion among these fools of whites. He professed himself profoundly interested in everything explained to him. "I saw you ride, Lamonti," he said. "_Whau_! but you did pick up the little bits of wood with the long spear. That was great--great. But the other _Inkosi_ was greater." "Yes, the other was greater, Qubani, but what made me miss that stroke was joy at seeing my father, the greatest of all _izanusi_ in our midst." "_Whau_!" "Mr Lamont, do come and help us with the prizes. They balloted for who should distribute them, and Lucy was chosen. Do come and stand by us and help. They are going to begin now." "I'm most awfully sorry, Miss Vidal, but I can't just now." "You won't?" said Clare curtly, for she was not accustomed to be refused. "I can't," he repeated. "Do believe I have a good reason--and don't direct any attention to me just now. Believe me, a great deal hangs upon it." "Very well," she said, and left him, marvelling. It must be as he had said--still that he should refuse to do something for her and prefer to talk to this squalid old savage instead--why, it was incomprehensible. "What is covered up on that waggon, _Nkose_!" said the witch-doctor, pointing to a waggon which stood just inside the fence. Its position, perhaps, directly facing the Ehlatini ridge, suggested an inspiration to Lamont. He answered-- "_Izikwa-kwa_." [Maxim guns.] "'M--'m! _Izikwa-kwa_?" hummed the other, wholly unable to suppress a considerable start of surprise. Then, recovering himself, he grinned, in bland incredulity. "_Inkosi_ is joking," he said. "There is no war." "Nevertheless those are _izikwa-kwa_, loaded and ready to pour forth a storm of bullets for the rest of the day;" and the speaker devoutly prayed that the bar-keeper might not send his boy to get out another supply of soda-water bottles from beneath the sail and thus expose the fraud. "Come. We will go and see them receive the rewards, those who have won them. But first I would have something to remember the chief of _izanusi_ by. So sell me that red cap which is on thy head, Qubani," producing some silver. "Now nay, my father, now nay, for the nights are cold and this red cap is warm--ah! ah! warm. See, here is a fine horn snuff-box, be content with that instead, as a gift." "Here I hold the lives of twelve men--six on each side," answered Lamont, showing him the butt of a revolver, in one of his side pockets. "If I receive not that red cap this instant, the first life it shall spill will be that of the chief of all _izanusi_."