"What's wrong with the brutes?" inquired Tiny. "They've never jibbed at anything before."
"P'raps there's a lion in that patch of long grass," suggested Colin. "Since the horses won't go past the clump they'll jolly well have to go round it. Now, then, Brimstone."
The animals turned none too readily. For a few seconds Treacle, Tiny's mount, refused to budge. Then, seeing that the other horse was trotting ahead, Treacle broke into a mad gallop.
For a few yards Desmond gave him his head, glad to be able to get the animal to move at all. Then, finding he was greatly outpacing his chum, he managed to check Treacle's mad gallop.
By this time he had made a wide detour and was almost past the clump of tall reeds. Colin, making an easier curve, was about fifty yards behind and about twenty from the outside edge of the clump.
Suddenly Brimstone reared, nearly throwing his rider. Simultaneously something glittering in the sun flashed in front of Colin's eyes, and, sinking deeply into the ground a dozen yards away, quivered violently.
It was an assegai, one of the throwing variety. Two more followed in quick succession, one literally shaving Colin's bridle, and the other wounding the horse in the flank.
The next instant a dozen or more natives emerged from the reeds and sprang towards the astonished Colin.
They were Sibenga's warriors, naked, save for the leopard skin worn round their waists and their feathered rings on their arms and ankles. Every one had a head-ring of hard gum and tufts of ostrich feathers surmounting their close, crisp hair. One fellow, evidently the captain of the party, wore a kaross, or cloak of leopard skin. All carried ox-hide shields, kerries, and stabbing spears, besides a sheaf of throwing assegais. Maddened by the slight wound that he had received, Brimstone dashed madly forward, his rider unable to control his movements. While Tiny was endeavouring to check his horse, Colin was eager to increase the pace of his.
For an instant the natives hesitated as the maddened horse leapt forward. That instant saved Colin from being dragged from the saddle and assegaied. Even as it was, two more spears grazed his shoulders, and a knobkerrie whizzed perilously past his ear.