Then, far away, but so loudly that the air seemed to throb, came the deep, thunderous, barking roar of a lion, followed from out of the darkness ahead by the rush and plunge of a startled horse.
"Quiet, you cowardly brute, or I'll pull your head off!" came loudly in Dutch, as a horse somewhere to our left uttered a loud, challenging neigh.

This was answered directly by Denham's charger; and in an instant a horse in front followed the first horse's example.
I heard a faint rustle as every man threw his right arm over the reins to seize the hilt of his sabre, and the feeling of wild excitement began to rush through me again as I gripped my own and waited for the order to draw.
Now the darkness was cut by a bright flash of light right in front; there was the sharp crack of a rifle, and right and left _flash, crack, flash, crack_, ran along a line.
As the first report was heard Denham rose in his stirrups.

"Draw swords!" he yelled; and then, "Gallop!" There was the rasping of blades against the scabbards, three or four closely following digs into the soft sandy ground, with our horses' muscles quivering beneath us, and then we were off at full speed, tearing after the outposts, which had wheeled round and galloped back, while with our sabres at the ready we went straight ahead.
"Keep together, lads," cried Denham in a low, hoarse voice; but the order was needless, for, after the manner of their nature, our chargers hung together; and as we raced along it seemed to me that we should pass right through the enemy's lines without a check.
Vain thought! Away in front, as we galloped on, a low, deep hum seemed to be approaching; and I knew the alarm had spread, and that the Boers were rapidly preparing for us.

More than that, we had convincing proof that they were prepared.
Suddenly, flashing, glittering lights, as of hundreds of fireflies playing about a hedge extending right and left as far as I could see, began to sparkle and scintillate; but only for a moment, for now came the crackling roar of irregular firing, the flashes being partially obscured.

Then, in a few brief moments more, we were closing up to the long line of riflemen.
"Now for it!" cried Denham close to my loft ear, his voice sounding like a husky whisper as we raced on knee to knee, and then our horses rose, as it were, at a fire-tipped hedge to clear the smoke.
There was a crash, yells of rage and defiance, and we were through, tearing away with the roar of our long line of galloping horses close after us.