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They had given him up for lost; and another important member of the community, named Sindo, had proclaimed himself chief of the tribe. When Macora reached home that morning, Sindo had not yet come forth from his house; and, before he was aware of the chief's reappearance, the house had been surrounded and the usurper made prisoner.
"Yaas, that is Sindo," said Congo, "but he no help you." "Why do you think so, Cong?" "He no big enough fool do dat." This might be true. Sindo had once got into trouble through treason, and had narrowly escaped death. He would be a fool to incur such a danger again, in the new home he had found for himself. This was the construction Groot Willem was inclined to put on the African's conduct.
While indulging in pleasant anticipations of the morrow, their designs were suddenly upset by a communication from Sindo. He had but just returned from a journey to the north, to the place where he had found a home after being banished by Macora, to the tribe which owned for its chief him whose horses had been shot by our hunters.
Sindo was to be shot with his own musket. The executioner had been already appointed, and all other arrangements made for carrying out the decree, when Willem, advancing towards Macora, commenced interceding for his life.
The man, with a loud yell, tumbled over in his tracks, while others, also exposed, hastened to conceal themselves behind the bushes. At this crisis the Makololo stole silently away, leaving their chief, with Sindo and one or two others who had horses, along with the four hunters, to guard the crossing of the stream.
The stipulated time passed, and nothing was seen of the Matabili; neither was anything known of the result of the mission of Sindo and his companions. The young hunters were now quite certain that their enemies had relinquished the idea of conquering a band protected by the intellects and weapons of white men, and that they had returned home.
Sindo was acting ungratefully. He had not shown the slightest sympathy for those who had befriended him in his hour of adversity. On the contrary, he had cut their acquaintance in the most unceremonious manner. All night long they lay in their thongs. Morning came and still they were not set free. "What does this treatment mean?" asked Hendrik. "What do they intend doing with us?"
A large force had immediately been sent to capture Macora and his people, or chase them, as Sindo said, "out of the world." The enemy might be expected in two or three hours! Sindo's warning was not unheeded; and scouts were at once sent out to watch for the approach of the enemy. A danger that Macora had already apprehended was now threatening them.
The exhibition of mercy, along with the refusal of the bribe, proved to the young hunters, that Macora had within him the elements of a noble nature. Sindo, accompanied by his family, immediately made departure from the place, going off to seek a home among kindred tribes, where his ambition would, no doubt, be exercised with greater caution.
But for the mention of Sindo's name, as the captives were being conducted to the place of execution, awakening in the Zooloo's mind a suspicion of treachery, the rescuers would have arrived too late. The delay caused by the inquiry after Sindo, at the village, was that which had caused the cup to slip. The released captives now inquired for Sindo, wishing to embrace him.
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