it was
outstretched upon the sand beyond the stones, where it lay resting, and
the pain began to die out. It was restful, too, for my arms; for as
soon as I began to put any strain upon the muscles a peculiar gnawing
sensation was set up, which was complete torture till I let them lie
inert.

"The brutes!" I muttered; "they must be half-savages still to treat one
like this; but it was all that wretched renegade's work. I wonder
whether I shall ever meet him again. I believe he's a miserable coward.
I'll soon see if I do. Oh, if I can only get amongst our people, and
join them!"

These thoughts made me feel hot, and I lay back picturing all that had
taken place at our farm; but as the pain in my limbs died down, so did
my rage against the Irish captain, and I began looking round again,
thinking how beautiful the desert place looked, and what effects were
produced among the mountains by the changes in the atmosphere. Then I
fell to watching Sandho, and then the soft effects grew hazy, and--then
hazier--and very dark, but not so dark but that I could see Joeboy's big
face as he leaned over me and said softly, "Boss Val been asleep?"

"No," I said sharply.

"Um!" whispered Joeboy, laying his hand across my mouth. "Boer jus'
there. Lots. Plenty horses."

"Why, it's night," I said in a whisper as I looked round in wonder.

"Um!"

"Where's Sandho?"

Joeboy nodded his head; and, looking in the direction indicated, I could
just see the shadowy form of my grazing horse, not above eight or ten
feet away.

"Have I been asleep all this time?" I said, with a strange feeling of
shame troubling me.

"Um! Plenty sleep," replied Joeboy. "Now ready? Come 'long."

"Yes, I'm ready," I said eagerly; "but tell me, have you been up towards
the pass?"

"Um!" he said. "Plenty Boer. All dark."

"Do you think we can get through?"

"Um. Mustn't talk."

He led Sandho forward, and went down on one knee to unfasten the strap
with which the horse was hobbled; then he offered me a leg up, and so
enabled me to spring into the saddle without much difficulty. The next
minute he was leading the horse in and out among the rocks, Sandho's
hoofs striking a stone with a sharp click; after which he checked the
active little animal, and we stood together listening. But all was
still, and the night looked as if a black cloud had been drawn across
the sky.

"Nobody can possibly see us," I said half-aloud; "and if they do th