id it wasn't," he answered, a little testily. "It was
just where the path dives through a pile of red rocks--you would know
it, Glanton. It's like a sort of natural gateway. Well nothing on
earth would induce that silly beast to go through there, and, d'you
know, upon my soul I began to feel a bit creepy--remembering how the
niggers have likely got a sort of grudge against me. So I thought after
all, I'd better stay where I was and wait till morning--and--here I am."

"Well, it wouldn't have been anybody laying for you, Sewin. You may
make your mind easy on that point," I said. "Possibly though, there may
have been a snake, a big mamba perhaps, lying in the path just at that
point--and your horse knew it. That'd be sufficient to hold him back."

"By Jove! I shouldn't wonder," he said. "Wish I could have glimpsed
him though. A full charge of treble A would have rid this country of
one snake at any rate."

Falkner's experience had so exactly corresponded with my own as to
impress me. While I had been held up in this eerie and mysterious
manner on one side of the pile of rocks, the same thing had happened to
him on the other, and, so far as I could make out, at just about the
same time. Well, we would see if anything of the sort should befall us
presently when we passed the spot in the broad light of day. The while
the two late combatants had been discussing the disappearance of
Hensley.

"Rum thing to happen," commented Falkner. "Ain't you rather--well,
uncomfortable, at times, here, all alone?"

"Not me. You see my theory is that the poor old boy went off his nut
and quietly wandered away somewhere and got into some hole, if not into
the river. Now I've no idea of going off my nut, so I don't feel in the
least uncomfortable. In fact decidedly the reverse."

"Well but--what of the niggers?"

Kendrew let go a jolly laugh.

"They're all right," he said. "Let's go and look at your gee, Glanton.
Hope he's still lame, so you can't get on, then we'll all three have a
jolly day of it."

I, for one, knew we were destined to have nothing of the kind--not in
the sense intended by Kendrew, that is--and I wanted to get home.
Needless to say when my steed was led forth he walked with his usual
elasticity, manifesting not the smallest sign of lameness.

"That's dashed odd," commented Kendrew, after carefully examining the
inside of every hoof and feeling each pastern. "Oh, well, he's sure to
begin limping