Men fell, disabled; others sprang up from the ground by magic.

But now, of a sudden, their courage flagged--they faltered, gave way, broke, and shambled in a body.

At last, as one man, they turned and fled.

Many of them leapt up with a loud cry from the long grass where they were skulking, flung away their big shields with the white thongs interlaced, and ran for dear life, black, crouching figures, through the dense, dry jungle.

They held their assegais still, but did not dare to use them.