.

"What is it, Joeboy?" I said. "A good shot at something?"

For answer he pointed upward at the rocks beside the pass which went by
the name of Echo Nek--the place which we had nearly reached, this great
gap in the mountains being the only spot for many miles on either side
where a horse could cross. As to wagons, a far greater detour was
necessary to find a road.

I looked in the direction he pointed out, but for some moments I could
see nothing. Then a faint gleam from something moving gave me warning
of what had taken place, and directly after I caught sight of the bearer
of the rifle from whose barrel the sunlight had flashed.

CHAPTER TEN.

RUNNING THE GAUNTLET.

Under other circumstances I should have leaped down from my horse and
crouched; but my leg had grown still and cold, so I sat perfectly
motionless, trying to make out some plan of action I might follow out.
To my dismay, the Boers had been quicker than I had given them credit
for, and had, so to speak, shut the principal gate in the huge wall
which in that particular part closed in their country from Natal. The
man I had seen was doubtless one of their outposts, and for aught I knew
to the contrary the pass might be held by hundreds of the sturdy
burghers, every man a born rifleman. To go back by the way I came meant
running into the arms of those who were scouring the country to retake
me, while to make a detour and get round to the other side of the
opening meant getting farther into the Boer country, the more populous
part, where their troops would for certain now be on the move.

It seemed there was no going backward; and upon turning to look at
Joeboy he showed he was of the same opinion. "No go back," he said;
"all Boer. Wait till sun gone."

"And try to steal through the pass then," I said eagerly, "in the dark?"

"Um!" he said. "All dark. No see Boss Val; no see horse."

"But they'll hear his hoofs. There are sure to be plenty of sentries."

"Um, plenty much Boer. Go soft, soft. Then Sandho gallop."

"And what about you?" I said, as I grasped that he meant we were to
steal along softly in the darkness till we were heard, and then that I
was to gallop. "What about you?"

"Joeboy hold stirrup and run," he said, with a laugh. "Boer better get
out o' way."

This seemed to be our only road out of the difficulty, and I carefully
dismounted, Joeboy leading the horse farther in amongst what was now
becoming a chaotic