CHAPTER XI
THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN WALL
THESE do not seem to be friends of yours,
I said, pointing to the fallen. And yet,
I added, nodding towards the spearmen who were now emerging from the gully, they are very like your friends.
Puppies from the same litter are often alike, yet when they grow up sometimes they fight each other,
replied Father Christmas blandly. At least these come to save and not to kill you. Look! they kill the others,
and he pointed to them making an end of some of the wounded men. But who are these?
and he glanced with evident astonishment, first at the fearsome-looking Umslopogaas and then at the grotesque Hans. Nay, answer not, you must be weary and need rest. Afterwards we can talk.
Well, as a matter of fact we have not yet breakfasted,
I replied. Also I have business to attend to here,
and I glanced at our wounded.
The old fellow nodded and went to speak to the captains of his force, doubtless as to the pursuit of the enemy, for presently I saw a company spring forward on their tracks. Then, assisted by Hans and the remaining Zulus of whom one was Goroko, I turned to attend to our own people. The task proved lighter than I expected, since the badly injured man was dead or dying and the hurts of the two others were in their legs and comparatively slight, such as Goroko could doctor in his own native fashion.
After this, taking Hans to guard my back, I went down to the stream and washed myself. Then I returned and ate, wondering the while that I could do so with appetite after the terrible dangers which we had passed. Still, we had passed them, and Robertson, Umslopogaas with three of his
