Our only chance was to strike when their minds were perplexed and undecided.
Arcoll did all the arranging.

He had a message sent to the chiefs inviting them to an indaba, and presently word was brought back that an indaba was called for the next day at noon.

That same night we heard that Umbooni and about twenty of his men had managed to evade our ring of scouts and got clear away to the south.

This was all to our advantage, as it removed from the coming indaba the most irreconcilable of the chiefs.
That indaba was a queer business.

Arcoll and I left our escort at the foot of a ravine, and entered the kraal by the same road as I had left it.