nd fashion and flew over the veldt as if thoroughly enjoying the
gallop.

"Steady! steady!" shouted West, at the end of ten minutes. "We're
leaving the brutes well behind, and the bullets are getting scarce.
Don't let's worry the brave little nags! With a start like this we can
leave the Boers well behind."

Ingleborough nodded after a glance backward and followed his companion's
example, drawing rein so that their steeds settled down into a
hand-gallop, still leaving their pursuers farther behind. The ground
was now perfectly level, stretching for three or four miles without an
obstacle, and then the horizon line was broken by one of the many kopjes
of the country, one which lay right in their line of flight.

"What about that?" said West. "Shall we make for it and get into
shelter ready for using our rifles?"

"I don't like it!" replied Ingleborough. "There might be another party
there, and then it would be like galloping into another hornets' nest."

"I don't like it either," said West; "but we must think of our horses,
and by the time we get there half of this pursuing lot will have tailed
off, while I don't believe the rest will come on if we shoot pretty true
from behind some rock."

"That's right!" said Ingleborough. "We mustn't let them keep us on the
run, for the horses' sake."

"Look out!" said West, in warning tones.

"What is it?"

"They're pulling up and dismounting," replied West. "Here come the
bullets again."

For as he spoke the buzzing, whizzing notes of danger overhead, which
had for some minutes ceased, began to utter their warnings again, but in
a very irregular way, which brought forth the remark from Ingleborough
that their enemies' hands were unsteady from their sharp ride.

"The more need then for us to get into a sheltered place where we can
rest a few minutes before they can come up," said West. "Let's have
another sharp gallop and get well among the rocks: it will be riding out
of range and getting more in advance before they mount again."

"Right, general!" cried Ingleborough banteringly; and once more they
tore over the veldt, pursued only by the bullets, for the following
Boers had dismounted to a man.

"Keep a little wider," said West, laughing outright at his companion's
word "general."

"Don't let's give them a chance by riding so close together!"

"Right! Fine manoeuvre!" replied Ingleborough; and they went on towards
the kopje at full speed, both feeling a