, lad?"

"Small party of lancers in full retreat, and the Boers very strong in
pursuit. They're a mile away now."

"Then we shall get no help from our people; but, if they are taking the
enemy away, that's all we want. Coming down?"

"Yes," said West, lowering himself over the edge very cautiously, for it
was terribly dangerous work, and Ingleborough shivered and hung back,
watching him till his companion reached the ledge where he had been
checked.

"Hah!" sighed Ingleborough; "that's better. I've been wishing for the
last five minutes that the stream below was ten feet deep!"

"Why?" panted West, who was breathless from his exertions.

"For you to fall into! But now help me to get my boot! I'm afraid to
lever it out with my rifle-barrel, for fear of bending it."

"Let me try!" said West, and, thrusting his arm down into the crack, he
got well hold of the boot, gave it a jerk sidewise, and it was free.

"Look at that now!" said Ingleborough. "My word! it's a fine thing to
have been born clever. How did you do it?"

"Pulled it out," replied West, smiling.

"Of course; but _I_ couldn't! It took me all my time to get it unlaced
and to draw out my foot. Stuck, for it was so wet!"

In another five minutes, while the cracking of the rifle-fire was
growing more distant, the boot was replaced, the dangerous descent
continued, with several slips and slides, each saving his friend in turn
from a bad fall, and the pair reached the water only minus a little
skin, to be welcomed by their ponies, who came up to them at once, ready
to be led cautiously to the entrance of the gully.

But there was no need for the extra care, inspection proving that no
Boers were left behind, and that they were too far distant now to
distinguish what went on at the resting-place they had left.

"Think they'll make the lancers prisoners?" said West, after they had
stood scanning the level veldt for some minutes.

"Not unless they can surround them, and I should give our cavalry credit
for being too cautious to let them do that!" said Ingleborough. "Now
then, what do you say for another try Mafeking-ward?"

"Forward!" was the reply, and after a glance at the compass to lay down
their course, the friends mounted and, refreshed, though not much
rested, they cantered off, making a bee-line almost due north, with the
intention of cautiously approaching some farm on their way to purchase
food.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

AT TANTE