How was it to be arranged so as to blind the quagga?
It would not do to drop it.
A moment's consideration served the ready boy to mature his plan.

After a moment he bent down, passed a sleeve upon each side under the quagga's throat, and then knotted them together.

The jacket thus rested over the animal's mane, with the collar near its withers, and the peak or skirt upon the small of its neck.
Hendrik next leaned as far forward as he could, and with his extended arms pushed the jacket up the animal's neck, until the skirt passed over its ears, and fell down in front of its face.
It was with some difficulty that the rider, bent down as he was, could retain his seat; for as soon as the thick flap of cloth came down over the eyes of the quagga, the latter halted as if he had been shot dead in his tracks.

He did not fall, however, but only stood still, quivering with terror.

His gallop was at an end! Hendrik leaded to the ground.