Adventure Magazine Cover — page 146: what you’re looking at

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

_ fying stones. Battle-axes flashed upward, and with their downward swing heads flew from ‘mighty shoulders; spears shot forward into bronzed stomachs, and with the releasing, twisting motion entrails,.caught on the . barb of the spear, were pulled out and men “fell, clawing at their vitals. Soon, despite their almost superhuman courage, the surrounded warriors were killed; not a man was left alive, and the ° chief sounded the order for his men to rest. The cattle were driven up and slaughtered that the men might eat. The mat-boys calmly went about their alloted task— ripping open the stomachs of the dead warriors of their own people that their spirits might be released. __ Jokes and quips were tossed back and forth by the victors: aN HIGH noon. The regiments were ES once more on the march; their 2 objective the mountain-stronghold of the enemy. The stalwart bronzed bodies of the warriors were covered with fine dust; their barrel-like chests rose and fell with a slow, measured breath-taking. And so they came to the foot of the rocky hill crowned with the chief kraal of the enemy. Frowning crags and over- hanging boulders met their eyes. The only trail up its sheer sides was a narrow, winding path. As they massed at its base, awaiting - orders from the head chief, a huge rock above them moved forward and dropped, into space. It hit a projecting ledge of the hill, bounced off and fell into the center of the ‘yelling men, crushing @ score or more to ___ death. Another and another rock followed - in quick succession. The air was filled with A cloud of dust, choking in its density, rose to the sky, blotting out eee 2 the sun. The rumbling of flying rocks filled the air with booming noises like the firing of big guns; the smell of brimstone. tickled the nostrils as stone crashed against stone. Coughs and slashing sneezes mingled with the bedlam of sound. Horns blew— blast upon blast—the order to retire. _____ Clashing battle-axes and the thudding blows of knobkerries told the story of men fighting men that they might escape from the ___ terrible spirit which tore down mountains ‘and buried men under them. _ then—silence. . Adventure _ “Back to the veld!” shouted the head chief. “Back!” | At the sound of his voice érder came out of confusion and his command was quickly obeyed. . “Men of my fathers,” said. the head chief as the warriors gathered about him well out of range of the falling stones, “for a little while those dogs have beaten us. But the rocks can not last forever. Remember! But two days ago you defeated their vile brothers, and their strength is in you. Be- fore dawn the hill will be ours. The courage of those dogs is as jackals’ dung before your bravery. - Now let the regiment of the piebald shields go forward, making much noise. The enemy will watch them, but it is the regiment of red shields which will really go to the attack. They shall sneak up the DEY like a leopard on its prey.’ As the head chief finished speaking the warriors burst into a thunderous cheer. The regiment of men carrying the parti- colored shields formed ranks and swung into step, swinging through the brown cloud of dust, singing their battle-song. The captain -of the red shield regiment called to his men to follow him, and silently they vanished into the gloom. The sun set; the twilight hurried away; inky night curtained down. A barrage of rocks crashed down the pre- cipitous slopes of the hill; a hundred sparks stabbed the darkness. *The challenging cries of the noise-making.regiment sounded un- ceasingly. Along the twisting pathway the captain | of the red shields led hismen. He stumbled suddenly against the body of asentry. The man was-dead. His skull had been crushed by one of the falling rocks. On went the warriors, silently, swiftly. A whispered challenge was hissed by an unseen foe— ‘The mountain is high!” The captain of the red shields winde no reply but.hurled himself at the voice. Small stones rattled as the two men struggled in the darkness. There was a gurgling, choking sound; the soft rip of a knife cutting into flesh; a hoarse bubbling as of a drowning man fighting the water and One~ form rose from the ground and joined the waiting band of warriors. It was the captain of the red shields. COMie KOOKS (C@)