“I should like to take possession of the animal,” said Harry, “it doesn’t appear to be at all injured, and if we could manage to break it in, it would make a capital riding horse. If you’ll watch the pit, I’ll go and get some of the men to come with ropes.”
To this I agreed, and he soon returned with Toko and two other men, bringing not only ropes, but a large sack and a saddle.
“What are you going to do with those things?” I asked.
“You shall see,” he replied. “It was Toko’s idea.”
The quagga looked very much astonished at seeing itself surrounded by human beings, and as before, it endeavoured to escape from the pit.
As it did so, Toko, who had fastened the sack to a loop at the end of a long stick, drew it over the quagga’s head, so as to prevent its biting, which it would have done had it been able to see.
A halter was fixed round its mouth, and ropes were passed under its body, by which it was drawn out. As soon as it found itself on firm ground, it began to throw its legs out in all directions, but Toko held it fast by the halter. At last, wearied by its exertions, it stood perfectly still. The moment it did so, Toko made a sign to his followers, who clapped a saddle on its back, and drew tight the girths.
“Capital!” cried Harry. “I have got a first-rate steed at small cost, and I’ll soon show you what it can do.”
Before I could dissuade him from making the attempt, he, with his usual impetuosity, leapt on the quagga’s back, and, seizing the bridle, told Toko to let go.
What Harry might have expected occurred. Off started the quagga, full gallop, towards the herd from which it had been separated by falling into the pit. I feared from the vicious nature of the animals, that, seeing some strange being on the back of their companion, they would kick it and its rider to death. In vain I shouted to Harry to stop his steed and come back: that was more than he could do. So telling Toko to mount his horse, I set off in pursuit.