hey
had seen them last, while a little search at the end of the empty wagon
brought busy hands in contact with their saddles and bridles.

"Oh, it's mere child's play!" whispered Ingleborough, as they hurried
back to the ponies, which recognised their voices and readily yielded to
being petted, standing firm while the saddles were clapped on and they
were girthed.

"Ready?" said West.

"Yes. Shall we lead them to where the muster is being made?"

"No; let's mount and ride boldly up!" said West.

The next minute they were in the saddle, and, stirred by the natural
instinct to join a gathering of their own kind, both ponies neighed and
ambled towards the spot where about fifty men were collected, some few
mounted, others holding their bridles ready for the order to start.

There was a startler for West, though, just as they were riding towards
the gathering patrol, one which communicated itself to Ingleborough, for
all at once out of the darkness on their left a voice exclaimed: "Here,
Piet, have you moved my rifle?"

"No," came back.

Then after a pause: "Here, what does this mean? Mine's not where I left
it! Come, no nonsense! We may want them at any time! You shouldn't
play tricks like this; it might mean a man's life!"

The intending fugitives heard no more, their horses hurrying them from
the spot, expecting to hear an alarm raised at any moment; but this did
not occur.

It was too dark for the recognition of faces, and the men were for the
most part sleepy and out of humour at being roused up, so that they were
very silent, thinking more of themselves than of their fellows.

There was one trifling episode, though, which was startling for the
moment, for West's pony, being skittish after days of inaction, began to
make feints of biting its nearest neighbour, with the result that the
latter's rider struck at it fiercely and rapped out an angry oath on two
in company with an enquiry delivered in a fierce tone as to who the
something or another West was that he could not keep his pony still.

Fortunately, and setting aside all necessity for a reply, a hoarse order
was given, causing a little confusion, as every dismounted man climbed
into his saddle, and the next moment there was a second order to
advance, when the leading couple went forward and the rest followed,
dropping naturally into pairs, fortunately without West and his
companion being separated.

Then began the loud clattering of hoofs upon