Look here; those brutes of Boers will reach that great kopje first, drop amongst the stones, and shoot us all down just when we get there with our horses pumped out." "Yes," I said, "if you keep on talking instead of nursing your horse." "Are you aware that I am your officer ?" he cried angrily.
"Quite," I replied; "but I was talking to my friend." "Friend be hanged!" he snapped out.

"Keep your place." "I am keeping my place," I said--"knee to knee with you; and our horses are going as if they were harnessed together.

I say, what a race!" "Yes, it's splendid," said Denham excitedly.

"Oh, how I wish the brutes would stand fast and let us charge right into them--through them--cut them to pieces, or ride them down! I feel strung up for anything now." I nodded at him, and panted out something about his knowing that the enemy would not stand for a charge.
It was exciting.

By accident, of course, in following out certain instructions from the General in command, to take a certain course and cut off a commando of the Boers, we had somehow managed to get into an awkward position, no less than four strong bodies of the enemy hemming us in.
There was nothing for our commander to do but make for the nearest shelter, and this presented itself in the distance in the shape of what looked like one of the regular piles of granite rocks, which, if we reached it first, we could hold against the enemy, however greatly they outnumbered us; though even then it seemed plain enough that they were far more than ten to one.
"Shall we do it ?" said Denham as we rode on, having increased our pace to a gallop.
"Yes," I said; "I don't think there's a doubt of it now.