Then after a perceptible interval they were echoed from the walls of a distant kopje, and again from another, before they died away.
"That has startled the lions," said Ingleborough; "but I'm afraid it will startle the Boers and bring them to see what's the matter." "Yes, the lions are gone," said West.

"Hark at that! Who says horses have no sense ?" For the _crop, crop, crop_ of the browsing animals had begun again from close at hand, and the comrades stood listening for some little time while the otherwise unbroken stillness once more reigned.
"What's to be done ?" said West.

"Shall we make a start at once, or wait for daylight ?" "I was thinking," replied Ingleborough.

"If we start now we have the advantage of the darkness to hide us, but the disadvantage too, for we may go blundering right into the midst of some commando.

I don't think the firing could do us any harm, after all, for the enemy would not be able to tell where the sounds came from.