There's a ready-made fort for us, and the next thing is to get the ponies into cover.

I say, I was right! I knew that the enemy would stick doggedly to our trail till they ran us down." "Look here!" cried West: "I'm going to crawl to those rocks and try and cover you while you follow with the ponies." "No need," replied Ingleborough; "the poor things have eaten till they can eat no more, and they'll follow us right enough.

Let's try and get under cover before we are seen." West hesitated for a moment, for the thought arose that the Boer party might ride away and try to find a ford, but a glance showed him that in the brief period which had passed since he awoke and saw them the enemy were much nearer, and, following his companion's example, he began to crawl on all-fours towards the clump of rocks pointed out, the horses quietly following them.
They had about fifty yards to go through a cover of bushes and lumps of rugged stone, but before they were half-way there West cried impatiently: "I don't like it; the Boers must see the horses directly.
Let's mount and make a dash for it." "Very well!" replied Ingleborough quietly.

"Perhaps it would be best!" "Then as soon as you are up we must ride towards them till we are clear of these bushes, and then off we go to the right." "Good; but it must be sharp work, for of course they will see us the moment we are up!" answered Ingleborough.
"We must risk it, Ingle," said West.

"We never could keep them at bay.
Let's have action: it would be horrible to be lying behind a rock with the sun beating down upon us.