h other to pieces and leave only a
tail behind."

"Oh, be serious, Ingle!" said West excitedly. "We might venture out
now."

"Don't be rash! We've got to find out what they mean to do."

"Come along then, and let's leave the horses where they are. We must
try and climb up somewhere to see what is going on."

"Very well, but take care! These are awfully breakneck walls to mount."

"Yes, but it has to be done! Why not up that crack?"

West pointed to a rift half-full of wiry-looking shrubs mingled with
ferns, which ran up the rocky wall of the gully diagonally.

"Think you can do it?"

"Yes, it's easier than it looks. Let's try!"

"Right!" said Ingleborough. "Up you go!"

West waded across to the side, slinging his rifle as he went, then
pulling his hat on tightly, he reached up as high as he could, and drew
himself up a foot or two. Then, carefully taking advantage of the
angles and edges of projecting rocks for his feet and getting hand-hold
of the tough shrubs, he was soon up twenty feet above the rushing
stream.

"Come along!" he said. "It's not bad climbing!"

"Matter of opinion," replied Ingleborough, "but here goes!" and he began
to mount, while West went on.

"Oh yes," he said, "it's all right! Why, it puts one in mind of the
Lady--I say, lad, ugh!--that was slippy!"

"Hold on then!" cried West excitedly, for one of Ingleborough's feet
glided over the edge of a stone, which yielded, and he was left hanging
by his hands, to strive to get a footing.

"Get out!" said Ingleborough, panting. "That's better. Just as if I
shouldn't hold on! Think I wanted a cold bath?"

"You gave me quite a turn!" said West. "Will you leave it to me? I can
manage it!"

"Go on, you vain young coxcomb! So can I manage it! If you don't look
out, I'll be up first! Well, what are you stopping for?"

"Look down there!" said West.

Ingleborough held on tightly while he twisted his head to see that the
two ponies had hurried out of the cave to wade to the place where they
had started from, and were looking up wonderingly.

"Ha, ha!" laughed Ingleborough. "They're afraid of being left behind!
Here, you two, be off back into your stable," he continued, getting hold
of a loose piece of rock with the intention of dropping it into the
water to scare the lookers-on.

"No, no, don't do that!" said West softly. "You may scare them into
cantering down into the midst of the Boers!"

"Right," said Ingleborou