e, and make
him keep away.

Time glided by, till an hour must have passed, and then they heard a
sharp neigh, followed by the trampling of feet, as if the horses had
been startled. Then came the low murmur of a voice, followed by a few
light pats as of some one caressing a horse; and, a minute later, in
spite of the darkness, Norman made out that his father had passed
through the rails into the paddock.

Then, just as he was in agony for fear the captain should be ridden
over, or some other accident should befall him, he heard the approaching
pace of a horse, but only at a walk.

Like the others, he was crouching down, and it seemed to him that his
father was doing the same, when, all at once, the faintly-seen figures
of man and horse towered up close by them, and what followed was the
work of moments.

There was the loud _whisk_ of a hunting-whip, the darting forward of a
figure, followed by the plunge of a horse, as it galloped away, drowning
the noise of a heavy thud, though the struggle which followed was quite
plain.

"Hold still, you dog!" roared the captain. "I have you tight.--Here,
Jack, come and help to hold him."

"Baal baal mumkull mine," cried the black, piteously. "Give in then,
you scoundrel. Take hold of his hair, Jack. I have him by his
loin-cloth."

It was no question of giving in, for the black made no further struggle,
but stood up writhing and twisting up his right shoulder, and rubbing it
with the back of his left hand passed behind him.

"Don't hit him again, father," cried Norman, quickly.

"Silence, sir!--Now you--you black fellow!"

"Baal black fellow," shouted Shanter, indignantly; "baal black fellow."

"How dare you come stealing here in the dark and meddling with my
horses?" roared the captain.

"Baal steal a horse fellow, Marmi," cried the black, indignantly.
"Horse fellow all along all lot."

"Sneaking there in the darkness, to ride my poor horses to death."

"Marmi no let Shanter ride when piggi jump up."

"Not let you ride in the day, sir? Of course not. Do you suppose I
keep horses for you?"

"Baal plenty mine know."

"You don't understand?"

"Mine want ride horse fellow like white fellow."

"Then you are not going to learn to ride on mine. Now then, I've done
with you, sir. Be off and don't show your face here again. Go!"

"Mine want damper, Marmi. Gib big soff damper."

"I'll give you the whip, sir, if you don't go."

Shanter flinched, and gave