Two cords had been attached to the bridle, before setting out, and Surajah and Dick each taking one, they started again, the horses instinctively breaking into a canter, which was their usual pace. Annie at first grasped the strap of the rug in front of her, but as soon as she became accustomed to the motion, she let go. A small rug had been strapped over the saddle, before she mounted, and this afforded her a much better hold than she would have had of the leather; and as the pace of the horse was a gentle one, she found it much more easy to keep her seat than she had expected. Moreover, the fact that Dick and Surajah rode close by her side, and would be able to catch her, at once, if she swayed in the saddle, gave her confidence.
"It is much better than I thought it would be," she said. "It is quite a pleasant motion. I will go faster, if you like."
"No, there is no occasion for that," Dick replied. "This is the pace the horses are most accustomed to, and they will go on longer, at it, than at any other. There is no fear of pursuit, and we have all day before us."
After a quarter of a mile's riding, they came to a wood.
"We must turn in here," Dick said. "We are going treasure hunting. We hid those caskets, that were given us by the ladies, directly after we got them; and we are going to dig them up now, and take them with us."
They rode at a walk, now, till they came to a very large baobab tree, growing by the path they were following.
"Here we turn off."
"There is a man there," Surajah exclaimed, when they had ridden a few yards farther.
Dick checked his horse.
"It is Pertaub," he said, a moment later, and in a minute they were beside the Hindoo.