And indeed in another second it would have been all over had not the elder man who inspected the pass interposed.

In fact he had witnessed the proceedings which led to his follower's discomfiture, and, being a decent person at bottom, strongly disapproved of them.
"Leave them alone and put down those guns," he shouted.

"It served Jacobus right; he was trying to push the girl from her horse! Almighty! it is not wonderful those English call us brute beasts when you boys do such things.

Put down your guns, I say, and one of you help Jacobus up.
He looks as sick as a buck with a bullet through it." Accordingly the row passed over, and the playful Jacobus--whom Jess noted with satisfaction seemed exceedingly ill and trembled in every limb--was with difficulty hoisted on to his horse, to continue his journey with not a single bit of fun left in him.
A little while after this Jess pointed out a long low hill that lay upon the flat veldt, a dozen miles or so away, like a stone upon a stretch of sand.
"Look," she said, "there is Mooifontein at last!" "We are not there yet," remarked John sadly.
Another weary half-hour passed, and then on passing over a crest suddenly they saw Hans Coetzee's homestead lying down by the water in the hollow.

So that was whither they were being taken.
Within a hundred yards of the house the Boers halted and consulted, except Jacobus, who went on, still looking very green.