Adventure Magazine Cover — page 142: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

_ who live in the plains are dogs. “Who are you? Where have. you es- caped from, slave?” The man with the kaross smiled con- temptuously. “‘T am the mouthpiece of the men beyond the mountains. We are men. All you If you per- sist in barking at us and snapping at our heels, we will kick you “hard. Weare | strong; we are mighty; we are as numerous as the hairs on that.” He threw down before him the kaross. “Get out of here before I have you _ killed,”’ the chief of the council roared in ~ response to the counter-challenge. council. “My!” the stranger remarked sarcastic- ally. “‘How that dog can bark!” “Son of an ape!” shouted the chief of the “This is my kraal.”’ As he spoke he struck savagely at the messenger with his knobkerrie. With com- parative ease the man warded the blow and, wrenching the knobkerrie out of the chief’s hand, grabbed him by the throat and shook him until his teeth rattled. Then, lifting him bodily, he flung him at the crowd of warriors who were rushing to their sat 2 rescue. This checked the onrush of the rescuers _for a moment, and the leader of the stran- gers, shouting the battle-cry, ‘‘ Mienfenel Mtenfenel” charged with his men toward the gate of the kraal. This they reached in safety and made good their escape. Their challenging cries grew fainter and fainter _ in the distance and finally died away. Ten minutes later the war-drums of the kraal were booming a message over the ‘plains. “ Dak, saku mem za!” (Dali, we are calling you) was the message the drums boomed over and over again. After a little while the low throb of dis- tant drums was heard replying in short, sharp beats: (Heard! “Ndoul U Yevwal” You are heard!) pe Pg The distant drumming ceased and then the bearded chief of the council sent) out the order to mobilize-and the declaration of war. A nasal-voiced witch-doctor forward. “Shall whiz a trench?” he asked. “Yes,” the chief answered, and as the witch-doctor hastened away to see that this was done he continued, “‘I want two boys.” came ‘ Adventure “T will get them,” said Sobosabo, and he too hastened away. “Where is the maker of spears? Bring him here.” Another warrior sped away in response to the chief’s commands. ‘Here are the boys, chief,’’ said Sobosabo. The chief looked at them gravely. They were very frightened. “Can you fight?” he asked them. In great relief they looked at each other and smiled. “Yes, chief,” they replied, and, puffing out their chests, they faced each other, forehead to forehead, and breathed terrible - threats into each other’s mouths. “You are real men,” said the chief with a laugh. ‘‘Now listen closely to my com- mands. You will go out toward the mouh- tains and bring me word of.the preparations those dogs are making. Should any ask what you are doing, you will say that you have come to look for some lost cattle. Do you unders and?’*” The boys nodded and with an air of great importance departed on their errand. The spear-maker came up to the chief. “Those dogs of the mountains are hungry for iron,” said the chief. “Forge many spears and battle-axes that they may eat.” ‘“‘Uml” the blacksmith grunted in assent and hastened to his forge. The wind sighed; the sun set; darkness came. Sparks flew heavenward as the spear-maker pounded the iron and steel. The night silence was broken by the clash and clank of his hammer; war-drums mur- mured their bloody ‘nessages to the kraals of the plain. IN THE blue-dawn the kraal was ) awakened by the beat of the war- drums. ““Witch-doctor! shouted the chief. “TI am here,” a nasal-voice answered in the gray-dark. ‘The first regiment of the great army is here. There is much to.do. You ‘witch-doctor!” It will be past mid-day before the ceremony of the sacred smoke is finished.”’ “Have the cattle been selected?” asked the chief. 2 “Yes. Five bulls and nine cows. the women be sent away.” “It shall be done,” answered the chief, and walked toward the gate of the kraal. There he met Sobosabo. Let (©) (E(0) OOO) KK