fty yards away, there was apparently
clear galloping ground, and distance would at any moment furnish me with
a dark hiding-place. All I wanted was the start; but how to get it?

I had my big knife in my pocket; but I might as well have been without
it, fastened as I was. So, though I thought and thought, I could see no
way of dividing that rein; the idea of raising it to my teeth being
dismissed as an impossibility, as also of Sandho cutting it with his own
powerful nip, for I knew the idea of communicating my desire to the
horse was absurd. "How to manage? How to manage?" I kept on saying to
myself. The idea would not come; and as it grew darker our canter gave
place to a round trot, and soon after we steadied down to a walk.

Suppose I suddenly made Sandho rear up? That would be easy, for I could
make him rise on his hind-legs and fight with his fore. But what good
would that do? No more than making him kick violently in all
directions, as he turned his fore-feet into a pivot upon which he
turned, bringing his heels round to all points of the compass, and
delivering smashing blows with them. Splendid practice this when a
litter of half-grown lions were trying to pull him down, but now not
likely to do more than bring down punishment upon the poor beast.

Again and again I made up my mind to make him give a sudden bound; but
the chances were that it would not snap the rein, only cruelly drag the
poor fellow's mouth. And the minutes glided by, and the position grew
more and more hopeless. Then, suddenly, I seemed to see the only
possible way of getting clear. We rode with long reins, my father and
I, and I began to wonder why I had not thought of putting my plan in
action before.

CHAPTER FIVE.

A DASH FOR LIBERTY.

As I have said, one of my reins was unbuckled, passed over the horse's
neck, and buckled to the Boer's saddle-bow; and in consequence of the
length of the strap, it hung down in a long curve when we were riding a
fair distance apart, so I felt I had only to press my horse close
alongside that of my companion to slacken the leather strap still
further. My plan was almost a forlorn hope; but I could think of no
other, and determined to try it, even if, as would probably be the case,
it meant no more than dragging me suddenly from the saddle, to fall and
be trampled among the horses' heels. Still, I was determined, and only
waited now for the thrilling moment when I would try.

We ro