How long the time appeared before it came. When it did, however, it could not have been more kind to me, for the moon did not rise till late and the night was very dark. So, anxiously waiting alone in my hut, I listened till all grew silent in the kraal, and I felt sure its inmates were wrapped in sleep. Then I glided out, my kaross tied up, the tobacco strung round my shoulders, and my shield and assagais in my hand. Fearing to quit the place by the usual egress, lest the dogs should create a disturbance and alarm the sleepers, I stealthily skirted my hut till I reached the fence, where, with a strength made great by the imminence of my danger, I forced the poles asunder and squeezed myself through. When I was outside, I gave a long sigh of relief for I felt free, safe, but not quite safe enough. On the contrary, I was very anxious to put as great a distance between the kraal and myself as possible before my absence could be discovered. So quickly I hurried on, keeping a sharp look-out around and breathing many blessings upon the darkness; but I had not gone far when the moon, showing the tip of its broad disc over the hills, east a silver ray of light on the opposite horizon, warning me of its approach, and I glanced keenly on each side for some bushes to conceal my figure from view. As I did so I came to a most abrupt halt, for among the trees some distance off, where the moonbeams fell, I could swear I saw the dusky forms of Kaffirs gliding in and out about the trunks. A moment's careful inspection proved to me that they did not belong to the tribe I had just left, but were advancing apparently with the extremest caution. What could it mean? There was but one answer. Some Chief was retaliating upon Metilulu the attack he had not many days ago made upon him. But what was I to do? Make use of the confusion that must ensue to favour my escape! No; I could not do it; for I recalled the kindness I had experienced from these people, and thought of the helpless women, Zenuta above all, and children who lay sleeping, unconscious of the approaching enemy who, in a brief space, would massacre them with the most barbaric cruelty. My resolve was instantly taken. With the greatest speed I could muster, I swiftly returned to the kraal, entering by the same way I had left. Then having flung my kaross and tobacco back into the hut, I ran first to the "boys'" huts, they being the nearest, afterwards to the men's, whispering the word of alarm--"The enemy is upon us." Quickly the whole kraal was astir, and, hastily arming themselves with shields and assagais, commenced as quietly as possible driving the cattle to the bush, for the first thought of the besieger is to seize the cows, while that of the besieged is to prevent his doing so.