ith us for use in case of an emergency,
while the Hottentot went off to fetch a further supply of water.

Then, having obtained the rein, I returned to the colt--who stood quite
still as I approached him--and, murmuring a caressing word or two to
him, quietly lifted my hand and gently patted his neck. He flinched
somewhat at my first touch, but did not attempt to run away, and
presently, when Piet returned with more water, I seized the opportunity
to slip the end of the rein round the little fellow's neck and knot it
while he was drinking. He did not much like the feel of the rein round
his neck at first, and tried to shake it off, but he no longer shrank
from my touch, and allowed me to pat his neck, and even pull his ears
gently, an operation which he appeared to enjoy greatly. Then, while I
continued to handle the colt, Piet again turned his attention to the
mare and gave her a further drink, when, after a few minutes, she made
another effort to rise, which was this time successful. But for several
minutes she could only stand with difficulty, trembling violently and
not attempting to move. At this juncture I chanced to slip my hand into
my jacket pocket, when it came into contact with some half-dozen small
sweet biscuits for which I had rather a weakness. These I had slipped
into my pocket the last thing before leaving the wagon and had then
entirely forgotten; and the fancy seized me to offer one of them to the
colt. He smelt at it for a moment or two, and then, somewhat
hesitatingly, closed his teeth upon it and began to masticate it.
Evidently he liked it, for having swallowed it he thrust forward his
head, as though asking for more, whereupon I produced a second, which he
at once accepted. I then offered a third, holding it far enough from
him to compel him to advance a step or two in order to secure it, which
he did. I next offered him a fourth in the same way; but as he moved
forward so did I, compelling him to follow me a few steps before I let
him have it, at the same time putting a gentle strain upon the rein
round his neck, and by this means I successfully coaxed the little
creature into submitting to be led.

When I had fairly got him going the mare followed, at first moving
stiffly and with difficulty, uttering small whinnying sounds, as though
entreating the colt not to leave her; but with every yard of progress
her movements became less difficult, and by the time that we had
traversed a quart