the
animals. Then, at sight of the white horsemen bearing down upon them
with a wild cheer, they incontinently abandoned their charge and fled
for dear life.

"Never mind the niggers," sang out Brathwaite, as one or two of his men
tried to rein in for a snap shot at the flying Kafirs. "Never mind
them. Head the cattle round for all you know. If once they get into
the bush we may lose any number of them." And spurring into a gallop he
circled round before the excited herd, followed by his whole troop. The
foremost beasts stopped short, throwing up their heads with many a snort
and bellow of bewilderment and terror, while the bulk of the herd
pressed on. For some minutes the clashing of horns and frenzied
bellowing, the clouds of dust, and the excited shouts of the horsemen
made up an indescribable scene of din and confusion. Many of the
animals, rolled on the ground by the plunging, swaying mass, were
trampled or gored to death by their bewildered companions. At last the
tumultuous excitement began to subside, and the animals, with heaving
flanks and rolling eyes, stood huddled together as if awaiting the
pleasure of their new drivers.

"Steady! Don't rush them," shouted Brathwaite. "Head them away quietly
for the open for all you know, and don't let them break through."

More than one comical scene was enacted as the line of horsemen,
extended so as to gradually work the herd away from the bush, drove
their charge forward. Now and then a cow, with a calf at her side, or
haply missing her progeny, would turn and furiously charge the line of
horsemen, causing an abrupt scatter, and in one or two instances the
utter and ignominious flight of the doughty warrior singled out, who
perchance was only too thankful to lay her out with a revolver shot in
the nick of time to save himself and his steed, or both, from being
ripped up or impaled by those vicious horns. But the best fun of all
was afforded by a huge old black-and-white bull.

Jack Armitage, we have said, was bursting with animal spirits;
consequently when the aforesaid quadruped took it into his massive
cranium to suddenly break away from the herd and start off on his own
account at right angles thereto, it followed, as a matter of course,
that Armitage, being nearest to him, should spur away in pursuit. The
bull's vicious little eyes began to roll wickedly, and from a trot he
broke into a wild gallop. Then madcap Jack, madder than ever with the
ex