ime he discharged his rifle. As far as possible they
fired by turns; so that each man, while loading, was covered by the
fire of those on his right and left.

For half an hour the fight continued. Many of the blacks had
fallen, but they continued the assault as vigorously as before, and
all the defenders had received more or less serious wounds from the
spears.

"The others ought to have been here, long before this," Reuben
said, "if they had followed my instructions. I only hope they have
not been attacked, too; but as we don't hear any firing, that can
hardly be so."

"I hope they will be up before dusk," Dick Caister said. "It will
be dark in another half an hour. These fellows are only waiting for
that to make a rush. If they do, it is all up with us."

"They will find it a tough job, even then," Reuben said; "but the
others must be here long before that. I told them to keep within
two miles of us. They have had time to ride double that distance,
since we made the smoke for them."

Another ten minutes elapsed.

"Hurrah!" Reuben exclaimed, "I can hear the trampling of horse's
hoofs. The moment they arrive, make a rush for your horses and
charge."

"I am afraid the horses are killed," Dick said ruefully.

"In that case," Reuben said, "we must get to our feet, and pick off
the blacks as they run. They will get up like a covey of partridge,
as the horsemen come among them."

A loud cheer was heard, and the little party, with an answering
shout, sprang to their feet and, rifle to shoulder, stood expecting
the blacks to rise; but the ears of the natives were sharper than
those of the whites, and they had begun to crawl away before the
latter heard the approaching horsemen.

Finding this to be the case, the party ran to their horses. Four
exclamations of wrath and grief were heard, for seven of the horses
were completely riddled with spears.

Tartar, however, at his master's voice, struggled to rise to his
feet. Reuben, aided by Jim, quickly threw off the hobbles; and
leaped on to its back as it rose to its feet, just as Mr. Blount,
with his party, rode up.

"Keep close together," Reuben exclaimed, as he dashed forward, "we
may find some of the scoundrels."

But the chase was in vain. It was already growing dusk, and there
was no saying in which direction the natives had crawled away in
the bush. After riding for a mile, Reuben reined in his horse.

"It is no use," he said; "we may as well get back to t