lesh-wound to have bled like this."

"Do you think it'll be lying anywhere near, half-dead, or quite?"

"No! A cat has nine lives, they say; and really this kind of beast is
very, hard to kill. Look, there are the pugs, along with those of three
more, all half-grown, going right away yonder into the open veldt. We
might hunt 'em down, but we don't want to, eh?"

"Absurd! We want to get on at once. Can you see any pug, as you call
it, of Boers?"

"No. I've had a good look round, and as soon as we've had a mouthful
we'll be off. I say, it's wonderful, isn't it, how one can sleep out
here on the veldt?"

"Surrounded by dangers!" replied West. Then laconically: "Yes."

Their scanty meal was soon eaten and washed down with a draught of pure
water, after which they both climbed to the top of the highest part of
the kopje to take a good survey of the surrounding plain.

"There's nothing in sight," said Ingleborough quietly; "so we'll hurry
on at once while our shoes are good."

The ponies looked as fresh as ever when they were saddled and ready to
start, and after an examination of the compass Ingleborough pointed out
that they ought to keep along north-east to strike the Vaal somewhere
that evening, and then go along its southern bank till a ford was
reached, after which their journey would be north by west.

"But we must be on the look-out for some lonely farm to-day," said West.
"We ought to well fill our haversacks before we start again."

"Never fear; we shall find plenty of food for sale so long as we have
money to show the Boer ladies. Ready?"

"Yes," replied West, and together they sprang into their saddles and
rode down the slope, their horses carefully picking their way among the
stones, till the open veldt was reached. They then struck off at a
quiet canter towards a rocky ridge so as to put that between them and
the kopje where they had slept, in case by any possibility their shots
had been heard and a party of the enemy should ride up to it to make a
search and in the course of it see them in the distance riding away.

"And that would mean pursuit, a race, and the fastest horses to win,"
said West.

"As they generally do when there is fair play," replied Ingleborough
quietly. "Keep a sharp look-out forward, and I'll keep on casting an
eye back at the kopje."

The ridge was only about a couple of miles distant from their previous
night's resting-place, proving to be fairly high, but with