seem to quiver and the ponies turn restless again and
begin to snort with dread.

"Steady, boys, steady!" said Ingleborough soothingly to the two steeds.
"Don't you know that we've got a couple of patent foreign rifles, and
that they would be more than a match for any lion that ever lived?"

"If we shot straight!" said West banteringly. "There he goes again!
How near do you think that fellow is?"

"Quiet, boy!" cried Ingleborough, leaning forward and patting his pony
on the neck, with satisfactory results. "How far? It's impossible to
say! I've heard performers who called themselves ventriloquists, but
their tricks are nothing to the roaring of a lion. It's about the most
deceptive sound I know. One time it's like thunder, and another it's
like Bottom the Weaver."

"Like what?" cried West.

"The gentleman I named who played lion, and for fear of frightening the
ladies said he would roar him as gently as a sucking dove. Now then,
what's to be done?"

"I don't know," said West. "We did not calculate upon having lions to
act as sentries on behalf of the Boers."

"Let's bear off more to the north and try to outflank the great cat."

Changing their course, they started to make a half-circle of a couple of
miles' radius, riding steadily on, but only to have their shivering
mounts startled again and again till they were ready to give up in
despair.

"We'd better wait till daybreak," said West.

"There's no occasion to," said Ingleborough, "for there it is, coming
right behind us, and we're going too much to the west. Bear off, and
let's ride on. I don't suppose we shall be troubled any more. What we
want now is another kopje--one which hasn't been turned into a trap."

"There's what we want!" said West, half-an-hour later, as one of the
many clumps of rock and trees loomed up in the fast lightening front.

"Yes," said Ingleborough sharply, "and there's what we don't want, far
nearer to us than I like."

"Where?" asked West sharply.

"Straight behind us!"

"Why, Ingle," cried West, in despair, "they've been following us all
through the night!"

"No," said Ingleborough, shading his eyes with his hand; "that's a
different patrol, I feel sure, coming from another direction."

"What shall we do?"

"Ride straight for that kopje; we're between it and the patrol, and
perhaps they won't see us. If they do we must gallop away."

"But suppose this kopje proves to be occupied?" said West. "We don't
w