"John," he said, "go out ahead and see where those horses are, how many there are, and what the Tubus are doing." It was twenty minutes before John returned. His report was interesting, and would have been alarming, but for the idea which had occurred to Challis. About fifty of the Tubus, said John, were about to ride off in a northerly direction. Each man had four or five horses in his charge, so that they were probably going to a grazing ground somewhere near. The rest of the men in the north-west camp were hard at work making ladders. It was clear that another attack was to be made on the fort. The ladders previously used had been left behind under the walls. It was clear, too, that the enemy had no suspicion of any attempt from the outside to raise the siege. Confident in their numbers, they had taken no steps to guard against an attack from the rear. "With luck we have them!" said Challis to himself, and turned to give final orders to his expectant men. CHAPTER XXXI THE LAST FIGHT Challis wished to get as near as possible to the Tubus who were collecting the horses without being discovered. Accordingly he drew out his men in line over a long front, and passed the word along that they must keep a strict silence. Then he signed to them to advance, and they moved forward swiftly, with the lightness of foot which is the negroes' birthright. For some distance they were covered by the undergrowth. In spite of all their care, it was inevitable that the passage of so large a number of men should cause a slight rustling, and they were still nearly three hundred yards from the horses when the sound was heard. The Tubus turned round, caught sight of them, and raised a shout of alarm. Concealment was no longer possible. Challis blew his whistle for the charge. His men answered with a fierce yell, and the whole line swept forward. Challis had scarcely anticipated the effect of the shrill cries from hundreds of throats. The Tubus' horses were seized with panic and plunged wildly. Their riders, unable to control them, were themselves terror-stricken at the sight of the long line of warriors rushing towards them. Dropping the horses' bridles, they led the stampede. The mob of men and horses surged towards the camp, where some of the Tubus were engaged in making new ladders, the rest cooking or idling. They dashed through and over them, scattering them right and left. Panic spread through the camp, and before the attackers were within striking distance, the whole force of the enemy was in headlong flight. The horses in their blind charge dashed into the slight grass huts which the Tubus had built and razed them to the ground. Challis saw Goruba spring up from the ruins of one of them, catch at the bridle of a horse that was running by, and leap with extraordinary agility upon its back.