I may yet look upon the sun again." Now he heard the Halakazi soldiers talking without.
"The Zulu rats do not love this run," said one, "they fear the rat-catcher's stick.

This is good sport," and a man laughed.
Then Umslopogaas pushed himself forward as swiftly as he could, holding the dead man on his back, and suddenly came out of the hole into the open place in the dark shadow of the great rock.
"By the Lily," cried a soldier, "here's a third! Take this, Zulu rat!" And he struck the dead man heavily with a kerrie.

"And that!" cried another, driving his spear through him so that it pricked Umslopogaas beneath.

"And that! and this! and that!" said others, as they smote and stabbed.
Now Umslopogaas groaned heavily in the deep shadow and lay still.

"No need to waste more blows," said the man who had struck first.