he
horses, he dreamt, and fought, smiting-stone against hoof, but then the
horses changed to men, or, at least, to men with horses' heads, and he
awoke in a cold sweat of terror.

Yet the next day in the morning, as the horses were grazing, one of the
mares whinnied, and they saw Ugh-lomi coming up the wind. They all
stopped their eating and watched him. Ugh-lomi was not coming towards
them, but strolling obliquely across the open, looking at anything in
the world but horses. He had stuck three fern-fronds into the mat of his
hair, giving him a remarkable appearance, and he walked very slowly.
"What's up now?" said the Master Horse, who was capable, but
inexperienced.

"It looks more like the first half of an animal than anything else in
the world," he said. "Fore-legs and no hind."

"It's only one of those pink monkey things," said the Eldest Mare.
"They're a sort of river monkey. They're quite common on the plains."

Ugh-lomi continued his oblique advance. The Eldest Mare was struck with
the want of motive in his proceedings.

"Fool!" said the Eldest Mare, in a quick conclusive way she had. She
resumed her grazing. The Master Horse and the Second Mare followed suit.

"Look! he's nearer," said the Foal with a stripe.

One of the younger foals made uneasy movements. Ugh-lomi squatted down,
and sat regarding the horses fixedly. In a little while he was
satisfied that they meant neither flight nor hostilities. He began to
consider his next procedure. He did not feel anxious to kill, but he had
his axe with him, and the spirit of sport was upon him. How would one
kill one of these creatures?--these great beautiful creatures!

Eudena, watching him with a fearful admiration from the cover of the
bracken, saw him presently go on all fours, and so proceed again. But
the horses preferred him a biped to a quadruped, and the Master Horse
threw up his head and gave the word to move. Ugh-lomi thought they were
off for good, but after a minute's gallop they came round in a wide
curve, and stood winding him. Then, as a rise in the ground hid him,
they tailed out, the Master Horse leading, and approached him spirally.

He was as ignorant of the possibilities of a horse as they were of his.
And at this stage it would seem he funked. He knew this kind of stalking
would make red deer or buffalo charge, if it were persisted in. At any
rate Eudena saw him jump up and come walking towards her with the fern
plumes held in his hand.