“Yes, fire away and speak clear,” said Bill.
“Well, Brereton has got two or three horses at Buffelsfontein, which would be well worth getting hold of; one of them is worth a thousand pounds almost.”
“That’s no good game—too risky, and I couldn’t get much for the Captain’s horse. People who buy racers want to know more about them than I tell when I sell a horse.”
“That could be managed all right, Bill,” said Nat. “If you only got the horse away there would be a good bit of money to come to you. And I take it you would sooner take a good horse than a bad one any day; besides there are the Captain’s two horses. I think I know how the job could be done.”
Then the two men had a long conversation, and it was arranged between them that Nat Lane’s acquaintance, whose name was Bill Bledshaw, and whose place of residence was a kraal over the border in Bechuanaland near Tawns, where he carried on the fine old-fashioned calling of a cattle-lifter and horse-stealer, should find out when Brereton was going to take Kildare and his other horses into Kimberley, and with a party of his comrades surprise Brereton, seize the horses, and carry them over the border.
Buffels Drift was not very far from the border, and there was a place which Bill knew of where he could surprise Brereton and get the horses. As soon as he had got away with Kildare he was to send a messenger back to Kimberley, who would let Nat Lane know that the plot had been successful, and give the confederates an opportunity of betting against the horse, which would be far away when the Diggers’ Stakes was run. Bill Bledshaw stood out for a good share of the spoil, for it was a very risky job, which would create much indignation against him on the Diamond Fields and perhaps lead to his arrest; but Nat Lane managed to dispel his scruples, and before they parted the two worthies had a drink together to the success of their venture, Bill Bledshaw promising to start the next morning for his head-quarters near Tawns, where he could complete his arrangements and see one ‘Long Alex,’ who would work the job with him.
Chapter Two.
“By Jove, no horse in this forsaken country ever galloped like that before,” said Jack Brereton, as he stood outside his house at Buffelsfontein and watched Kildare leave his other horse, The Muffin Man, as if the latter was standing still.
Those horses and his pony Nobbier represented pretty nearly all Jack Brereton’s possessions, except the money he had already invested on Kildare’s chance for the Diggers’ Stakes.