Therefore I selected my men and even where I would hit them, and as subsequent examination showed, I made no mistakes in the seven or eight shots that I fired.

But all the while, like poor Captain Robertson, I was thinking of other things; namely, where I was bound for presently and if I should meet certain folk there and what was the meaning of this show called Life, which unless it leads somewhere, according to my judgment has none at all.

Until these questions were solved, however, my duty was to kill as many of those ruffians as I could, and this I did with finish and despatch.
Robertson and Hans were firing also, with more or less success, but there were too many to be stopped by our three rifles.

Still they came on till at length their fierce faces were within a few yards of our little parapet and Umslopogaas had lifted his great axe to give them greeting.

They paused a moment before making their final rush, and so did we to slip in fresh cartridges.
"Die well, Hans," I said, "and if you get there first, wait for me on the other side." "Yes, Baas, I always meant to do that, though not yet.