“Hokosa,” said the king, “you have dealt treacherously with me in the past, but I believe now that your heart is true; at the least I follow the commands of our dead master and trust you.  Listen:  the outposts have sighted an impi of many regiments advancing towards the Great Place, though whether or no it be my own impi returning victorious from the war with my brother, I cannot say.  There is this against it, however, that a messenger has but just arrived reporting that the generals have perceived the host of Hafela encamped upon a ridge over against the gorge where they awaited him.  If that be so, they can scarcely have given him battle, for the messenger is swift of foot and has travelled night and day.  Yet how can this be the impi of Hafela, who, say the generals, is encamped upon the ridge?”

“He may have left the ridge, King, having been warned of the ambush.”

“It cannot be, for when the runner started his fires burned there and his soldiers were gathered round them.”

“Then perhaps his captains sit upon the ridge with some portion of his strength to deceive those who await him in the gorge; while, knowing that here men are few, he himself swoops down on you with the main body of his impi.”

“At least we shall learn presently,” answered the king; “but if it be as I fear and we are outwitted, what is there that we can do against so many?”

Now one of the captains proposed that they should stay where they were and hold the place.

“It is too large,” answered the king, “they will burst the fences and break our line.”

Another suggested that they should fly and, avoiding the regiments of Hafela in the darkness of the night, should travel swiftly in search of the main army that had been sent to lie in ambush.

“What,” said Nodwengo, “leaving the aged and the women and children to perish, for how can we take such a multitude?  No, I will have none of this plan.”

Then Hokosa spoke.  “King,” he said, “listen to my counsel:  Command now that all the women and the old men, taking with them such cattle and food as are in the town, depart at once into the Valley of Death and collect in the open space that lies beyond the Tree of Doom, near the spring of water that is there.  The valley is narrow and the cliffs are steep, and it may chance that by the help of Heaven we shall be able to hold it till the army returns to relieve us, to seek which messengers must be sent at once with these tidings.”

“The plan is good,” said the king, though none had thought of it; “but so we shall lose the town.”

“Towns can be rebuilt,” answered Hokosa, “but who may restore the lives of men?”

As the words left his lips, a runner burst into the council, crying:  “King, the impi is that of Hafela, and the prince heads it in person.  Already his outposts rest upon the Plain of Fire.”