the further bank
were met by Footsack who had seen us coming and guessed that
something was wrong.

"Inspan!" I shouted to him, "and be quick about it if you want to
see tomorrow's light. The Basutos are after us."

Off he went like a shot, his face quite green with fear.

"Now," I said to Anscombe, as we let our horses take a drink for
which they were mad, "we have got to hold this ford until the
wagon is ready, or those devils will get us after all. Dismount
and I'll tie up the horses."

He did so with some difficulty, and at my suggestion, while I
made the beasts fast, cut the lace of his boot which was full of
blood, and soaked his wounded foot, that I had no time to
examine, in the cool water. These things done, I helped him to
the rear of a thorn tree which was thick enough to shield most of
his body, and took my own stand behind a similar thorn at a
distance of a few paces.

Presently the Basutos appeared, trotting along close together
whereon Anscombe, who was seated behind the tree, fired both
barrels of his Express at them at a range of about two hundred
yards. It was a foolish thing to do, first because he missed
them clean, for he had over-estimated the range and the bullets
went above their heads, and secondly because it caused them to
scatter and made them careful, whereas had they come on in a lump
we could have taught them a lesson. However I said nothing, as I
knew that reproaches would only make him nervous. Down went
those scoundrels on to their hands and knees and, taking cover
behind stones and bushes on the further bank, began to fire at
us, for they were all armed with guns of one sort and another,
and there was only about a hundred yards of water between us. As
they effected this manoeuvre I am glad to say I was able to get
two of them, while Anscombe, I think, wounded another.

After this our position grew quite warm, for as I have said the
thorn trunks were not very broad, and three or four of the
natives, who had probably been hunters, were by no means bad
shots, though the rest of them fired wildly. Anscombe, in poking
his head round the tree to shoot, had his hat knocked off by a
bullet, while a slug went through the lappet of my coat. Then a
worse thing happened. Either by chance or design Anscombe's
horse was struck in the neck and fell struggling, whereon my
beast, growing frightened, broke its riem and galloped to the
wagon. That is where I ought to have left them at