"Yes, but it has to be done! Why not up that crack?"

West pointed to a rift half-full of wiry-looking shrubs mingled with ferns, which ran up the rocky wall of the gully diagonally.

"Think you can do it?"

"Yes, it's easier than it looks. Let's try!"

"Right!" said Ingleborough. "Up you go!"

West waded across to the side, slinging his rifle as he went, then pulling his hat on tightly, he reached up as high as he could, and drew himself up a foot or two. Then, carefully taking advantage of the angles and edges of projecting rocks for his feet and getting hand-hold of the tough shrubs, he was soon up twenty feet above the rushing stream.

"Come along!" he said. "It's not bad climbing!"

"Matter of opinion," replied Ingleborough, "but here goes!" and he began to mount, while West went on.

"Oh yes," he said, "it's all right! Why, it puts one in mind of the Lady--I say, lad, ugh!--that was slippy!"

"Hold on then!" cried West excitedly, for one of Ingleborough's feet glided over the edge of a stone, which yielded, and he was left hanging by his hands, to strive to get a footing.

"Get out!" said Ingleborough, panting. "That's better. Just as if I shouldn't hold on! Think I wanted a cold bath?"

"You gave me quite a turn!" said West. "Will you leave it to me? I can manage it!"

"Go on, you vain young c.o.xcomb! So can I manage it! If you don't look out, I'll be up first! Well, what are you stopping for?"

"Look down there!" said West.

Ingleborough held on tightly while he twisted his head to see that the two ponies had hurried out of the cave to wade to the place where they had started from, and were looking up wonderingly.

"Ha, ha!" laughed Ingleborough. "They're afraid of being left behind!

Here, you two, be off back into your stable," he continued, getting hold of a loose piece of rock with the intention of dropping it into the water to scare the lookers-on.

"No, no, don't do that!" said West softly. "You may scare them into cantering down into the midst of the Boers!"

"Right," said Ingleborough, replacing the stone. "I don't suppose they'll mind."

At that moment one of the ponies whinnied, and the other took up the cry of discontent.

"Quiet, will you? Look here!" said Ingleborough, speaking as if in the full belief that the two animals understood every word. "If you make that row, you'll have the Boers down upon us, and that will mean new masters, with worse treatment than you get from us! That's settled them," continued Ingleborough, speaking again to his companion, and as it happened the two animals did not repeat their challenging cry, but began to nibble at the greenery overhanging the water.

Meanwhile the climbing grew more difficult as the adventurers got higher and more excited, for all at once the rapid crack-crack-crack of rifles began telling of attack and defence, and making the climbers strain every effort to get to the top, which was at last accomplished by West, who drew himself over the edge of the rocks and lay panting for a few moments before looking down.

"Can't you manage it?" he said; for Ingleborough had come to a stand some twenty feet below.

"No!" was the reply. "My right foot has slipped into a crack here, and is wedged tight. Don't wait for me! Go on, only let's have all the news as soon as you can!"

West's first idea was to lower himself down; but, feeling that one was enough to find out all they wanted, he obeyed his comrade's orders and went on climbing upon all-fours what was now an easy slope with plenty of cover in the shape of bushes and huge blocks of stone.

A few minutes brought him to the top of the kopje, whence he had a clear view of all that was going on, while the firing was now general.

He saw at a glance that the Boers had not attempted to hold the natural stronghold, for upon discovering their numbers, the half-troop of lancers, some thirty in number, had begun to retire, and the Boers, of whom there seemed to be about a hundred and fifty, were streaming out in two directions, evidently with the intention of surrounding and taking them prisoners, both sides keeping up a steady fire the while. West stopped no longer than was necessary to satisfy himself that the Boers were getting rapidly farther and farther from the kopje, and then hurried back down the slope to the top of the gully, where, leaning over, he found Ingleborough busy at work, apparently driving his rifle-barrel down into a crevice. "Ahoy!" cried West. "Hallo there!

What news, lad?"

"Small party of lancers in full retreat, and the Boers very strong in pursuit. They're a mile away now."

"Then we shall get no help from our people; but, if they are taking the enemy away, that's all we want. Coming down?"

"Yes," said West, lowering himself over the edge very cautiously, for it was terribly dangerous work, and Ingleborough shivered and hung back, watching him till his companion reached the ledge where he had been checked.

"Hah!" sighed Ingleborough; "that's better. I've been wishing for the last five minutes that the stream below was ten feet deep!"

"Why?" panted West, who was breathless from his exertions.

"For you to fall into! But now help me to get my boot! I'm afraid to lever it out with my rifle-barrel, for fear of bending it."

"Let me try!" said West, and, thrusting his arm down into the crack, he got well hold of the boot, gave it a jerk sidewise, and it was free.

"Look at that now!" said Ingleborough. "My word! it's a fine thing to have been born clever. How did you do it?"

"Pulled it out," replied West, smiling.

"Of course; but _I_ couldn't! It took me all my time to get it unlaced and to draw out my foot. Stuck, for it was so wet!"

In another five minutes, while the cracking of the rifle-fire was growing more distant, the boot was replaced, the dangerous descent continued, with several slips and slides, each saving his friend in turn from a bad fall, and the pair reached the water only minus a little skin, to be welcomed by their ponies, who came up to them at once, ready to be led cautiously to the entrance of the gully.

But there was no need for the extra care, inspection proving that no Boers were left behind, and that they were too far distant now to distinguish what went on at the resting-place they had left.

"Think they'll make the lancers prisoners?" said West, after they had stood scanning the level veldt for some minutes.

"Not unless they can surround them, and I should give our cavalry credit for being too cautious to let them do that!" said Ingleborough. "Now then, what do you say for another try Mafeking-ward?"

"Forward!" was the reply, and after a glance at the compa.s.s to lay down their course, the friends mounted and, refreshed, though not much rested, they cantered off, making a bee-line almost due north, with the intention of cautiously approaching some farm on their way to purchase food.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

AT TANTE ANN'S.

It was growing dark before a suitable place presented itself, this being a typical Boer farm in a very desolate part of the veldt, the spot having been evidently chosen by its occupants on account of the tiny kopje and abundant supply of water welling out, besides being a perfect spot for the branch of farming the owner carried on, there being pen after pen of ostriches, the great foolish-looking large-eyed birds staring at the two hors.e.m.e.n wonderingly as they approached the door where the owner stood looking distant and glum, as he smoked his big pipe.

Yes, he said, he would sell them some provisions for themselves and corn for their horses if they had money to pay for what they wanted.

This was at once produced, and the farmer looked on after summoning a huge Kaffir to help with the horses and get out the corn; while his fat wife, after coming to the door to glare at the visitors, condescended to put on a kettle to prepare them tea, and see if there was a chicken that could be killed and broiled, and some eggs for frying.

There were several bits of consultation carried on by the husband and wife from time to time, and everything showed that the visitors were far from welcome.

"Never mind," said Ingleborough; "all we want is a good meal, and we shall be off in the morning as soon as it is light."