e peak, and once more rode on for what must have been
three hours; but then, concluding that to ride farther might possibly
mean going astray, I walked my horse till a tolerably suitable spot
offered itself for a halting-place till daylight, where I off-saddled
Sandho, turned him loose to graze, and settled myself down in a patch of
thorny bush to pass the night as I could.

I longed to light a fire to keep off lions; but in avoiding one enemy I
felt I might be attracting another; for if there were Boers anywhere in
the neighbourhood they would be certain to ride up, and then all my
efforts would prove to have been in vain. Hence there was nothing for
it but to take the risk.

The night was glorious though cold, for I had been imperceptibly rising
into high ground. The stars sparkled as if there was frost; but I had
no eyes for the beauty of the scene, hemmed in as I was by enemies.
Twice over I shivered as to the fate of poor Sandho, the deep, muttering
roar of the lions seeming to make the ground tremble and the air
vibrate. If they scented my horse and drew near I was perfectly
defenceless, and could do nothing to save the poor beast. So alarmed
did I grow at last upon his account that I determined to risk being
seen, and hurriedly began to collect scraps of dead wood, twigs, and
such pieces of dry grass as were likely to burn. I did not stop to find
many; but, startled by a loud barking roar that, in my nervous state,
sounded very near, I knelt down and struck a match, holding it well
sheltered with my hands till the splint was fully alight, and then
started the grass and wood. Fortunately these were thoroughly dry and
caught readily; but the quantity was very small, and the blaze a mere
trifle compared with what I wished to obtain. So, as actively as I was
able, I started collecting everything I could, and carefully piled it
up; but with small success, for I had to depend entirely upon my hands
to break off scraps, and they burned away almost as fast as I could
reach the fire.

I had just thrown on as much as I could hug to my breast when I was
startled by a heavy breathing; and, turning sharply, for a moment or two
I was certain that one of the fierce beasts had crept up. There, only a
few feet away, were a pair of glistening eyes reflecting the fitful
flames, and I began to back so as to get the fire between me and my foe.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

MY NOCTURNAL VISITOR.

As I moved it moved too; and I d