"Greeting, son Saduko!" he said in a deep, rumbling voice. "Why are you

back here so soon, and why do you bring this flea of a white man with

you?"

Now this was more than I could bear, so without waiting for my

companion's answer I broke in: "You give me a poor name, O Zikali. What would you think of me if I

called you a beetle of a wizard?"

"I should think you clever," he answered after reflection, "for after

all I must look something like a beetle with a white head. But why

should you mind being compared to a flea? A flea works by night and so

do you, Macumazahn; a flea is active and so are you; a flea is very hard

to catch and kill and so are you; and lastly a flea drinks its fill of

that which it desires, the blood of man and beast, and so you have done,

do, and will, Macumazahn," and he broke into a great laugh that rolled

and echoed about the rocky roof above.

Once, long years before, I had heard that laugh, when I was a prisoner

in Dingaan's kraal, after the massacre of Retief and his company, and I

recognised it again.

While I was searching for some answer in the same vein, and not finding

it, though I thought of plenty afterwards, ceasing of a sudden from his

unseemly mirth, he went on: "Do not let us waste time in jests, for it is a precious thing, and

there is but little of it left for any one of us. Your business, son

Saduko?"

"Baba!" (that is the Zulu for father), said Saduko, "this white Inkoosi,

for, as you know well enough, he is a chief by nature, a man of a great

heart and doubtless of high blood [this, I believe, is true, for I have

been told that my ancestors were more or less distinguished,

although, if this is so, their talents did not lie in the direction of

money-making], has offered to take me upon a shooting expedition and to

give me a good gun with two mouths in payment of my services. But I told

him I could not engage in any fresh venture without your leave, and--he

is come to see whether you will grant it, my father."

"Indeed," answered the dwarf, nodding his great head. "This clever white

man has taken the trouble of a long walk in the sun to come here to

ask me whether he may be allowed the privilege of presenting you with a

weapon of great value in return for a service that any man of your years

in Zululand would love to give for nothing in such company?

"Son Saduko, because my eye-holes are hollow, do you think it your part

to try to fill them up with dust? Nay, the white man has come because

he desires to see him who is named Opener-of-Roads, of whom he heard a

great deal when he was but a lad, and to judge whether in truth he has

wisdom, or is but a common cheat. And you have come to learn whether or

no your friendship with him will be fortunate; whether or no he will aid

you in a certain enterprise that you have in your mind."




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