In a high spluttering sparking arc. It burst in the air above the

donga. He threw again. Crump, crump. Duff was using his explosive as

well. The boiler crashed over the lip of the donga and came to rest in

a cloud of dust; the Zulus followed it in, spreading out, still

shrieking, and now their assegais were busy. The white men broke,

clawed frantically out of the ravine and fled, the Zulus hacking at them

as they ran.

When Francois arrived with fifty armed diggers following him the fight

was over. Take your boys down to the camps. Comb them out carefully.

We want every one of those that got away, Duff told him. It's about

time we had a little law and order on this field. How will we pick out

the ones that were in on it?

asked Francois.

By their white faces and the sweat on their shirts you will know them.

, Duff answered.

Francois and his men went, leaving Sean and Duff to clean up the

battlefield. It was a messy job, the stabbing spears had made it so.

They destroyed those horses that the blast had left still half alive and

they gleaned more than a dozen corpses from the donga and the slope

below it. Two of them were Zulus. The wounded, and there were many,

they packed into a wagon and took them down to Candy's Hotel.

It was early afternoon by the time they arrived. They threaded the

wagon through the crowd and stopped it in front of the Hotel. It seemed

the entire population of the goldfield was there, packed around the

small open space in which Francois was holding his prisoners.

Francois was almost hysterical with excitement. He was sweeping the

shotgun around in dangerous circles as he harangued the crowd. Then he

darted back to prod one of the prisoners with the twin muzzles. You

thunders, he screamed. Steal our claims, hey steal our claims.

At that moment he caught sight of Duff and Sean bringing the wagon

through the press. Duff, Duff. We got them. We got the whole lot of

them. The crowd backed respectfully away from the menace of that

circling shotgun and Sean flinched as it pointed directly at him for a

second. . I see, Francois, Duff assured him. in fact, I have seldom

seen anyone more completely had.

Francois's prisoners were swathed in ropes; they could move only their

heads and as additional security a digger with a loaded rifle stood over

each of them. Duff climbed down off the wagon.

don't you think you should slacken those ropes a little? Duff asked

dubiously.

And have them escape? Francois was indignant. Do you think they'd get

Very far? tNo, I don't suppose so. Well, another half hour and they'll

all have gangrene look at that one's hand already, a beautiful shade of

blue. Reluctantly Francois conceded and told his men to untie them.

Duff pushed his way through the crowd and climbed the steps of the

Hotel. From there he held up his hands for silence. There have been a

lot of men killed today, we don't want it to happen again. One way we

can prevent it is to make sure that this lot get what they deserve

Cheers were led by Francois. But we must do it properly. I suggest we

elect a committee to deal with this affair and with any other problems

that crop up on these fields. Say ten members and a chairman.

More cheers. Call it the Diggers Committee, shouted someone and the

crowd took up the name enthusiastically. All right, the Diggers

Committee it is. Now we want a chairman, any suggestions?

Mr Charleywood, shouted Francois. Yes, Duff, he'll do. Yes, Duff

Charleywood. Any other suggestions?

No, roared the crowd. Thank you, gentlemen. Duff smiled at them. I am

sensible of the honour. Now, ten members Jock and Trevor Heyns. Karl

Lochtkamper. Francois du Toit. Sean Courtney. There were fifty

nominations. Duff baulked at counting votes so the committee was

elected by applause. He called the names one at a time and judged the

strength of the response to each. Sean and Francois were among those

elected. Chairs and a table were brought out onto the veranda and Duff

took his seat. With a water-jug he hamInered for silence, declared the

first session of the DiggersCommittee open and then immediately fined

three members of the crowd ten pounds each for discharging firearms

during a meeting, gross contempt of Committee. The fines were paid and

a proper air of solemnity achieved.

I'll ask Mr Courtney to open the case for the, prosecution.

Sean stood up and gave a brief description of the morning's battle,

ending You were there, Your Honour, so you know all about it anyway. So

I was, agreed Duff. Thank you, Mr Courtney. I think that was a very

fair picture you presented. Now, he looked at the prisoners, who speaks

for you? There was a minute of shuffling and whispering then one of

them was pushed forward. He pulled off his hat and blushed purple.

Your Worship, he began, then stopped, wriggling with embarrassment. Your

worship. You've said that already. I don't rightly know where to

begin, Mr Charleywood I mean Your Honour, sir.

Duff looked at the prisoners again. Perhaps you'd like to reconsider

your choice. Their first champion was withdrawn in disgrace and a fresh

one sent forward to face the Committee. He had more fire. You bastards

got no right to do this to us, he started and Duff promptly fined him

ten pounds. His next attempt was more polite. Your Honour, you can't

do this to us. We had our rights, you know, that new proclamation and

all, I mean, them old titles wasn't legal no more now, was they? We

just came along as peaceful as you please, the old titles not being

legal, we got a right to do what we done. Then you bastards, I mean

Your Honour, dynamited us and like we had a right to protect ourselves,