the stony way, while they
wound in and out amongst ponderous blocks of granite and ironstone,
trusting to the leading horses, whose riders were warned of danger in
the darkness by the sentries stationed here and there.

Before they were half-way clear from the rocks of the kopje, both West
and Ingleborough were fully convinced that to have attempted to escape
on foot in the darkness must have resulted in failure, while minute by
minute their confidence increased in the ultimate result of their ruse,
for it was evident that the couple of Boers next to them in front and in
rear could have no more idea of who they were than they could gain of
their neighbours.

For every man's time was fully taken up in providing for his own and his
mount's safety--much more in seeking his own, for the sure-footed ponies
were pretty well accustomed to looking after themselves in patches of
country such as in their own half-wild state they were accustomed to
seek for the sake of the lush growth to be found bordering upon the
sources of the streams.

There was not much conversation going on, only the exchange of a few
hoarse grunts from time to time, sufficient, however, to encourage the
two prisoners to think that they might venture upon an observation or
two in Boer-Dutch, both imitating their captors' tones and roughness as
far as they could. But they did not venture upon much, and carefully
avoided whispers as being likely to excite suspicion.

"Have you any plans as to the next start?" said West.

"Only that we should go off north-west as soon as we are well on the
open veldt, and gallop as hard as we can go."

"Which is north-west?"

"Hang me if I have the slightest idea! Have you?"

"No. But it does not matter. Let's get clear away if we can, and shape
our course afterwards when the sun rises."

"Capital plan! Anything more?"

"I've been thinking," answered West, "that if we turn off suddenly
together the whole troop will go in pursuit at once, and then it will be
the race to the swiftest."

"Of course! It always is!"

"Oh no," said West drily; "not always: the most cunning generally wins."

"Very well, then we shall win, for we are more cunning than these
dunder-headed Boers."

They rode on in silence after this for a few minutes, gradually feeling
that they were on level ground, over which the ponies ambled easily
enough; but they could not see thirty yards in any direction.

"Look here," said Ingleborough