It was lucky, however, that we drunk our fill before
coming up, for, as I had anticipated, there was not a drop of water on
the koppie.
"At length the night wore away, and with the first tinge of light I
began to go my rounds, and stumbling along the stony paths, to make
things as ready as I could for the attack, which I felt sure would be
delivered before we were two hours older. The men were cramped and cold,
and consequently low-spirited, but I exhorted them to the best of my
ability, bidding them remember the race from which they sprang, and not
to show the white feather before a crowd of Matuku dogs. At length it
began to grow light, and presently I saw long columns of men advancing
towards the koppie. They halted under cover at a distance of about
a hundred and fifty yards, and just as the dawn broke a herald came
forward and called to us. Our captain stood up upon a rock and answered
him.
"'These are the words of Wambe,' the herald said. 'Come forth from the
koppie, and give over the evil-doers, and go in peace, or stay in the
koppie and be slain.'
"'It is too early to come out as yet,' answered our man in fine
diplomatic style. 'When the sun sucks up the mist then we will come out.
Our limbs are stiff with cold.'
"'Come forth even now,' said the herald.
"'Not if I know it, my boy,' said I to myself; but the captain replied
that he would come out when he thought proper, and not before.
"'Then make ready to die,' said the herald, for all the world like the
villain of a transpontine piece, and majestically stalked back to the
soldiers.
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