It was Mr Raydon who shouted, but I was desperate now I had gone so far, and we kept up our trot, with Esau acting as guide. His eyes were better than mine in the darkness.
“Fire!” came from behind now, and three flashes of light appeared for an instant, followed by the reports of the rifles.
“Not killed me,” muttered Esau, with a chuckle. But I did not laugh, for a thought had struck me.
“Esau,” I whispered; “they’ll set the dog on our scent, and use him to run us down. There, do you hear?”
For the barking of the dog began once more.
“Can we cross the river?” I said.
“No.”
“Then make for the first stream and let’s wade along it a little way.”
“Never thought of that,” muttered Esau. “Here, let’s go along by the river.”
Five minutes later we were splashing along close to the edge, keeping our feet in the water for a time, with the dog’s deep baying behind coming on so slowly that I knew he must be chained and some one holding him back.