ook on seeing him, and the comic
appearance of the four with the stumped tails, rather inclined Hendrik
towards merriment, and he laughed as he galloped along.

As the quaggas went off in the same direction which the eland had taken,
of course Hendrik's road and theirs lay so far together; and on galloped
he at their heels. He was curious to try the point--much disputed in
regard to horses--how far a mounted quagga would be able to cope with an
unmounted one. He was curious moreover, to find out whether his own
quagga was quite equal to any of its old companions. So on swept the
chase, the eland leading, the quaggas after, and Hendrik bringing up the
rear.

Hendrik had no need to ply the spur. His gallant steed flew like the
wind. He seemed to feel that his character was staked upon the race. He
gained upon the drove at every spring.

The heavy-going eland was soon overtaken, and as it trotted to one side,
was passed. It halted, but the quaggas kept on.

Not only the drove kept on, but Hendrik's quagga following close at
their heels; and in less than five minutes they had left the eland a
full mile in their rear, and were still scouring onward over the wide
plain.

What was Hendrik about? Was he going to forsake the eland, and let it
escape? Had he grown so interested in the race? Was he jealous about his
quagga's speed, and determined it should beat all the others?

So it would have appeared to any one witnessing the race from a
distance. But one who could have had a nearer view of it, would have
given a different explanation of Hendrik's conduct.

The fact was, that as soon as the eland halted, Hendrik intended to halt
also; and for that purpose pulled strongly upon his bridle. But, to his
astonishment, he found that his quagga did not share his intention.
Instead of obeying the bit, the animal caught the steel in his teeth,
and laying his ears back, galloped straight on!

Hendrik then endeavoured to turn the quagga to one side, and for this
purpose wrenched his right rein; but with such fierceness, that the old
bit-ring gave way--the bit slipped through the animal's jaws--the
head-stall came off with the jerk--and the quagga was completely
unbridled!

Of course the animal was now free to go just as he liked; and it was
plain that he liked to go with his old comrades. His old comrades he
well knew them to be, as his snorting and occasional neigh of
recognition testified.

At first Hendrik was disposed to