ster of veldt-craft, and
Elvesdon did not come very far behind him in that line for all that he
was professionally an official. The night air blew keen and chill, very
chill, but the walking exercise largely counteracted that. And the
sense of freedom again was exhilarating in itself--still more so was the
sense of the impending reunion.

They did not talk as they travelled--when they had occasion to do so it
was in the barest whispers. In ordinary and peaceful times they would
not have encountered a living soul, for the native is strongly averse to
moving about at night. Now, however, it was different. They might run
into an impi at any moment, travelling swiftly across country to take up
its position for attack or observation.

The night was dark, but, fortunately there was no mist. The stars to a
certain degree piloted their direction, as they do, or should do, to
every dweller in the free, sparsely inhabited open. Only this was not
so sparsely inhabited, in that twice they came upon a large kraal where
the inhabitants were alert and on the move, a thing they would never
have been at that time of night, in peaceful times.

Now as they got almost within the glow of the red fires of one of these
there was a rush and an open-mouthed clamour of curs, and that in their
direction. The inhabitants, too, seemed to pause, and gaze suspiciously
upwards--fortunately they were above them, on the apex of a ridge.

"_Gahle_, _Gahle_! Elvesdon!" whispered Thornhill. "They've spotted
us. This way. Don't rattle more stones than you can help."

They plunged down the other side of the rise. Ah but, they were many
wearisome miles from safety--and they were unmounted.

Along the hillside they made their way, but how slow did that way seem
to men unaccustomed to doing that sort of travelling on foot. The dawn
began to show signs of breaking, and they were still a long way from
Kwabulazi. A weary day of close hiding and starvation lay before them.

It was light enough now to distinguish the surroundings. Suddenly
Thornhill stopped and was listening intently.

"All up," he said. "Look."

The other followed the direction of his gaze. The tops of the bushes
were shaking in a long quivering line. Clearly their enemies had been
tracking them like hounds, throughout the dark hours.

"We can make a stand here as well as anywhere," growled Thornhill. "We
hold five lives apiece, and the last bullet for ourselves--if we