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Updated: June 17, 2025
Ah! what was that on the ridge to my left, which ran down till it lost itself in the open bottom of the valley along which Sandho gently cantered? Some white-feathered and familiar birds, displaying their soft plumes, which looked ostrich-like in the distance. What could it be? I knew no bird, in spite of my wanderings, that ever looked like that.
"What are you talking about?" I whispered sharply. "About my will," he said quietly. "I leave you my watch and my sword." "And I'll leave you my rifle and Sandho. He's a splendid fellow to go." "Stuff and nonsense!" said Denham, interrupting me. "You won't be hurt." "That's more than you know," I said peevishly, for his words upset me; and when he went on I made no reply.
Directly after Sandho was grazing contentedly; and when I had drunk from the pure fresh water, I was devouring rather than eating the magnified salt-beef sandwiches of which the satchel contained ample store, while Joeboy grinned to see the way in which one disappeared. "Catch hold," I said, pushing a great sandwich towards my black companion; but he shook his head and shrank away.
My intention now was to dismount; but I sat still, hesitating, and looking away over the open veldt, fearing to alight, being fully aware how helpless I should be and unequal to the task of remounting. However, it had to be done; so, pulling myself together, I drew my feet from the stirrups, and called upon Sandho to stand fast.
Sandho was led up, and with a good deal of difficulty and a repetition of groans and allusions to the state of his lower members, the Captain was hoisted into the saddle, and after another draught of water he declared that he could "howld" out till we got him to the "docthor."
At last, after galloping for quite ten minutes, something in front made Sandho swerve round to the left; and, before raising my head to see what it was, I turned my face sidewise so as to get a glance back at my pursuers, and could hardly believe my eyes when I saw that no Boers were there.
So, though I thought and thought, I could see no way of dividing that rein; the idea of raising it to my teeth being dismissed as an impossibility, as also of Sandho cutting it with his own powerful nip, for I knew the idea of communicating my desire to the horse was absurd. "How to manage? How to manage?" I kept on saying to myself.
"And what about your horse? That would be enough to betray you." "No take Sandho," said Joeboy, who had been listening attentively. "Of course not," I said. "We should walk right across to the Boer lines, getting off as soon as it was dark." "Why not go in disguise as a minstrel?" said Denham banteringly "like King Alfred did when he went to see about the Danes? Have you got a harp, old chap?"
As I moved it moved too; and I dimly saw the outstretched head and body, as I supposed, of a monstrous lion about to spring, when, the fire having flashed up more brightly, I uttered a gasp of relief. It was Sandho, who had come quietly up to the fire for company and protection.
I had no fear about Sandho, whose rein had been passed over his head and allowed to hang down, for he had been trained to stand, and having grazed for many hours, had no temptation to stir. Joeboy soon settled himself close to my feet, and then began our long and painful watching, hour after hour, through a night which seemed as if it would never end.
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