Bind him hand and foot, and bear him tenderly to where he can
be cared for. Surely I thought that these evil-doers were giving us too
little trouble, and thus it has proved."
So they set themselves to make fast Nahoon's hands and wrists, using
as much gentleness as they might, for among the Zulus a lunatic is
accounted holy. It was no easy task, and it took time.
Hadden glanced around him, and saw his opportunity. On the ground close
beside him lay his rifle, where one of the soldiers had placed it,
and about a dozen yards away Maputa's pony was grazing. With a swift
movement, he seized the Martini and five seconds later he was on the
back of the pony, heading for the Crocodile Drift at a gallop. So
quickly indeed did he execute this masterly retreat, that occupied as
they all were in binding Nahoon, for half a minute or more none of the
soldiers noticed what had happened. Then Maputa chanced to see, and
waddled after him to the top of the rise, screaming:--
"The white thief, he has stolen my horse, and the gun too, the gun that
he promised to give me.
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