“I don’t know,” said West. “We did not calculate upon having lions to act as sentries on behalf of the Boers.”
“Let’s bear off more to the north and try to outflank the great cat.”
Changing their course, they started to make a half-circle of a couple of miles’ radius, riding steadily on, but only to have their shivering mounts startled again and again till they were ready to give up in despair.
“We’d better wait till daybreak,” said West.
“There’s no occasion to,” said Ingleborough, “for there it is, coming right behind us, and we’re going too much to the west. Bear off, and let’s ride on. I don’t suppose we shall be troubled any more. What we want now is another kopje—one which hasn’t been turned into a trap.”
“There’s what we want!” said West, half-an-hour later, as one of the many clumps of rock and trees loomed up in the fast lightening front.
“Yes,” said Ingleborough sharply, “and there’s what we don’t want, far nearer to us than I like.”
“Where?” asked West sharply.
“Straight behind us!”
“Why, Ingle,” cried West, in despair, “they’ve been following us all through the night!”