xpecting to see the stars. All above, however, was black with a
solid intensity that was awe-inspiring. I could see nothing; but I
could feel, and became aware of another fact: I was lying among rocks in
a most uncomfortable and painful position, with my head and shoulders in
a niche between two pieces of stone, and my feet high above me.

"At the foot of some kopje," I remember fancying. Then my mind grew
clearer--so much clearer that I felt for my handkerchief, got it out of
my breast, doubled it, and bound it round my forehead to stop the
bleeding. This took me some time; but the movement, painful though it
was, seemed to give me more power of thinking, and I began to do more.
After an effort, I managed to get my back and shoulders out of the
crevice in the rocks where they were wedged. Then my legs slipped down
of their own weight, and I felt myself gliding down a sharp incline. I
spread out my hands to stop myself, and succeeded, bringing up against
some loose stones.

"Sandho's somewhere at the bottom of this slope," I thought, and I
called him by name; but I was horrified to hear my words go
reverberating from me with strange, whispering echoes which died slowly
away.

"How strange!" I muttered, as the intense darkness made my feeling of
confusion return. "Where am I? What place is this?"

I knew I was saying these words aloud; and what followed came like an
answer to my question, for from somewhere close at hand there was a deep
moaning sigh. I started violently and tried to creep away; but my head
began to swim with terrible giddiness on attempting to move. As this
subsided a little I thrust out my hand cautiously and began to feel
about, touching at the end of a few seconds something which brought back
my memory with a rush. My fingers had come in contact with the tin
contrivance we had used for a lamp; and, naturally enough, the touch
recalled to me who had borne it, and the accident that had befallen us.
Accident? No; it must have been an attack.

However, my head was clearing rapidly, and the sense of horror and pain
was passing off like mist; and now I began again to feel cautiously
about, but without avail, till I turned upon my hands and knees and
crawled a yard or two, slipped, and clung to the rugged surface to check
my descent. Then my feet went down to the full extent before they were
stopped by something soft, and a thrill of satisfaction ran through me,
for a well-known voice sai