the fall."

"I'm afraid I'm nearly as bad," said Gerard. "I don't--or rather I do--
know where I should be if it hadn't been for you."

"That's nothing, mister," was the prompt rejoinder. "Help one another's
the rule of the road--eh, George?"

"_Ja_, that's so," assented George again.

They chatted on for a while, and smoked a sociable pipe, and Gerard
accepted an invitation to accompany his friends in need to their
waggons--which were standing waiting for them at the drift higher up--
and take a glass of grog, which, with the torrid heat of the sun,
combined to keep off any chill which might result from his wetting.
Then with much mutual good will they separated.

Gerard held on his way, pondering over his adventure, which indeed was a
pretty stirring one, and the first he had ever had. He was bound on an
errand of partly business, partly pleasure; namely, to visit some people
he did not greatly care for on some business of Anstey's. Still the
change from the sedentary round of the store was something, and, hot as
it was, he enjoyed the ride. It was Sunday, and thus a sort of holiday,
though even on the Sabbath we fear that trade was not altogether at a
standstill.

That day, however, was destined to be one of incident, of adventure.
His visit over, he was riding home in the cool of the evening. The sun
was just touching the western sky-line, flooding with a golden light the
open, rolling plains. There was nothing specially beautiful in the
landscape, in fact it was rather monotonous, but the openness of it gave
an idea of free and sweeping space, and the almost unearthly glow of a
perfect evening imparted a charm that was all its own. The uncongenial
circumstances of his present life faded into insignificance. Gerard
felt quite hopeful, quite elated. He felt that it was good even to
live.

Suddenly a hubbub of voices rose upon the evening air--of native voices,
of angry voices--and mingled with it the jarring clash of kerries.
Spurring his horse over the slight eminence which rose in front, the
cause of it became manifest. A small native kraal stood just back from
the road. Issuing from this were some half-dozen figures. A glance
served to show that they were engaged in a highly congenial occupation
to the savage mind--fighting, to wit.

It was a running fight, however, and an unequal one. A tall man was
retreating step by step, holding his own gallantly against overwhelming
odds. He was arme