ion to their many other good points, these shaggy,
unkempt-looking Basuto animals, though never shod, were nevertheless
equally fast over grass or stony ground.

It was still early in the day, and after riding on a few miles, Jack
pulled up again and off-saddled, so as to rest his ponies. Whilst they
set about foraging for themselves, he sat under a large eucalyptus-tree,
pulled out his pipe and lit it, and proceeded to clean his rifle. A few
hours later the shadow in which he sat had lengthened considerably, and
he turned round towards the west to see the sun, which had been
streaming down upon him all the day, just declining behind a far-distant
range of mountains. It was a sight which set Jack moralising, for here,
before his eyes, was a gorgeous scene, a fit subject for any artist.
The sun was sinking in a splendour of gold and purple lights, and the
heavens above it were decked with beautifully red and silver-streaked
blue clouds, against which the jagged broken peaks of the mountains
stood up boldly, while their rugged and boulder-strewn slopes, and the
stretch of rolling veldt below, were already clouded with the shades of
coming night. It was a peaceful scene, and why, thought Jack, should
not all the beings dwelling within reach of it, or, for the matter of
that, dwelling in a country capable of displaying such a prospect as lay
before him, live in peace and good brotherhood with one another and
enjoy it? South Africa was a vast country, so sparsely populated that
one could ride for miles and miles without sighting so much as a roof or
habitation, let alone a man. And yet no one thought of the beauties of
the country. Other and deeper matters vexed their minds, and because
they could not agree they were on the brink of a sanguinary war which
would mean an awful loss of life, and--what then?

"Mr Hunter says it's a case of British supremacy," he murmured. "Yes,
that's what it is, and that is what it shall be when the war is over."
And straightway Jack forgot all about the declining sun, and the
peaceful landscape, and with a curious feeling of elation, which the
thought of coming excitement had given him, knocked the ashes out of his
pipe, jumped briskly to his feet, and set about saddling his ponies.

Half an hour later it was dark, save for a small moon which just gave
sufficient light to show the road. Jack vaulted into his saddle,
hitched his rifle over his shoulder, shook the reins, and cantered o