gh, replacing the stone. "I don't suppose
they'll mind."

At that moment one of the ponies whinnied, and the other took up the cry
of discontent.

"Quiet, will you? Look here!" said Ingleborough, speaking as if in the
full belief that the two animals understood every word. "If you make
that row, you'll have the Boers down upon us, and that will mean new
masters, with worse treatment than you get from us! That's settled
them," continued Ingleborough, speaking again to his companion, and as
it happened the two animals did not repeat their challenging cry, but
began to nibble at the greenery overhanging the water.

Meanwhile the climbing grew more difficult as the adventurers got higher
and more excited, for all at once the rapid crack-crack-crack of rifles
began telling of attack and defence, and making the climbers strain
every effort to get to the top, which was at last accomplished by West,
who drew himself over the edge of the rocks and lay panting for a few
moments before looking down.

"Can't you manage it?" he said; for Ingleborough had come to a stand
some twenty feet below.

"No!" was the reply. "My right foot has slipped into a crack here, and
is wedged tight. Don't wait for me! Go on, only let's have all the
news as soon as you can!"

West's first idea was to lower himself down; but, feeling that one was
enough to find out all they wanted, he obeyed his comrade's orders and
went on climbing upon all-fours what was now an easy slope with plenty
of cover in the shape of bushes and huge blocks of stone.

A few minutes brought him to the top of the kopje, whence he had a clear
view of all that was going on, while the firing was now general.

He saw at a glance that the Boers had not attempted to hold the natural
stronghold, for upon discovering their numbers, the half-troop of
lancers, some thirty in number, had begun to retire, and the Boers, of
whom there seemed to be about a hundred and fifty, were streaming out in
two directions, evidently with the intention of surrounding and taking
them prisoners, both sides keeping up a steady fire the while. West
stopped no longer than was necessary to satisfy himself that the Boers
were getting rapidly farther and farther from the kopje, and then
hurried back down the slope to the top of the gully, where, leaning
over, he found Ingleborough busy at work, apparently driving his
rifle-barrel down into a crevice. "Ahoy!" cried West. "Hallo there!
What news