Part 13 (1/2)
”Do you think they'll have the barbarity to put us to death?” asked Percy ”What object can they have in doing so?”
”Those fellows think noout a candle If Mangaleesu cannot persuade theo, we'll have a poor chance indeed of escape”
It seeht in his conjectures The dreadful old witch was evidently bent on their destruction Still, while there's life there's hope, and Percy did not give way to despair They both ain Mangaleesu addressed the prince with a boldness which astonished the other chiefs, who regarded the dreadful old iain out-talked, both by her and the other chiefs Presently the one into the hut to look for Lionel returned with the astonishi+ng announce that they could not account for his disappearance
”What has become of your companion?” asked Umbulazi
”We were not set to watch hione,” answered Denis, adding in English, ”and I hope you are o?” asked the prince
”If he walked, he went on two legs,” answered Denis
”But how did he get out of the hut?” inquired the Prince
”The guards who had us in charge should answer that question,” said Denis, in the sauards? Send thery tone
Denis feared that the poor felloould lose their lives, and unwilling to have them put to death, he cried out--
”They are not to blah which a largeago, I hope, so you need not trouble yourselves about hiuards, who soon approached, looking very downcast
”I gave three prisoners into your charge; here are two, but where is the third?” asked the prince
The three guards could not reply At last one of theo and search the hut The prince told theht do so, but must come back and be killed, if they did not find the boy
Asthe search, and although the Zulus are very indifferent to death, yet they were naturally unwilling to go back and be killed Denis earnestly hoped that they would try and make their escape, for he justly feared that should the prince once see blood flowing, like the savage tiger, he would be even more ready than before to shed theirs
At last the prince, growing i out the guards, either with or without the prisoner The unhappy wretches were quickly dragged forward
”Where is the boy?” asked the prince
No ansas given
”Kill them!” he exclaimed; and in an instant some heavy clubs descended on their heads, and each ais
”It will be our turn next!” cried Denis ”Are you ready, Percy?”
”As much as I can be How thankful I am that Lionel escaped!” As he spoke, a dozen warriors with their assegais uplifted, still dripping with the blood of their former victims, approached; but at that , one of the
”Hold!” exclaimed Umbulazi ”It will not be wise to kill the prisoners just as their country I would rather have them as friends than enemies”
Denis, who heard him speak, felt his heart bound