Yet this first plan of yours must fail, Noma, seeing that before they starve within, the generals of Nodwengo will be back upon us from the mountains, catching us between the hammer and the anvil, and I know not how that fight would go." "Yet, soon or late, it must be fought." "Nay," he answered, "for my hope is that should the _impi_ return to find Nodwengo dead, they will surrender and acknowledge me as king, who am the first of the blood royal.

But what is your second plan ?" By way of answer, she pointed to the cliff above them.

On the right-hand side, facing the archway, was a flat ledge overhanging the valley, at a height of about a hundred feet.
"If you can come yonder," she said, "it will be easy to storm this gate, for there lie rocks in plenty, and men cannot fight when stones are dropping on their heads." "But how can we come to that home of vultures, where never man has set a foot?
Look, the cliff above is sheer; no rock-rabbit could stand upon it." With her eye Noma measured the distance from the brink of the precipice to the broad ledge commanding the valley.
"Sixty paces, not more," she said.

"Well, yonder are oxen in plenty, and out of their hides ropes can be made, and out of ropes a ladder, down which men may pass; ten, or even five, would be enough." "Well thought of Noma," said Hafela.

"Hokosa told us last night that to him had passed the wisdom of the Messenger; but if this be so, I think that to you has passed the guile of Hokosa." "It seems to me that some of it abides with him," answered Noma laughing.
Then the prince gave orders, and, with many workers of hides toiling at it, within two hours the ladder was ready, its staves, set twenty inches apart, being formed of knob-kerries, or the broken shafts of stabbing spears.