midday
It was evident to us that before very long we should be attacked in overwhelming force . Indeed , from our point of vantage on the hill we could see troops mustering , and runners going forth from Loo in every direction , doubtless to summon soldiers to the king 's assistance . We had on our side about twenty thousand men , composed of seven of the best regiments in the country . Twala , so Infadoos and the chiefs calculated , had at least thirty to thirty-five thousand on whom he could rely at present assembled in Loo , and they thought that by midday on the morrow he would be able to gather another five thousand or more to his aid . It was , of course , possible that some of his troops would desert and come over to us , but it was not a contingency which could be reckoned on . Meanwhile , it was clear that active preparations were being made by Twala to subdue us . Already strong bodies of armed men were patrolling round and round the foot of the hill , and there were other signs also of coming assault .