224 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER 



basalt rocks louder and louder, and then dying 

 away. 



'These sounds, and the sight of the boundless 

 plain, half-maddened me. I dashed down the steep 

 watercourse, my horse bounding like a deer from 

 boulder to boulder. " On ! " I cried, " on, Eob ! " 

 " Steady, steady ! " shouted my Australian friend, in 

 a clear, calm voice of command, " or you'll kill your 

 horse if you don't break your neck.' We are sure of 

 him now, if you will only save up your impatience a 

 little longer. Pull up, Barnard, this moment, and 

 follow me." There was no disobeying common-sense 

 and command together. He then took the lead, and 

 leaning back on the saddle till my head nearly 

 touched the horse's counter, leaving the reins loose, 

 leaping, standing, now walking, now gently trotting, 

 I followed the best bushman in the colony. 



' Robert's consummate bushmanship led him the 

 true course, even when we were going fastest ; every 

 cattle-track was familiar to him. At length we 

 cleared the broken path, and from a sort of green 

 plateau caught another glimpse of the plain below. 



' '' Now," said Robert, " you can't miss your way; 

 keep to the left a little — I'll to the right, and we 

 shall have him between us, for Phil and John must 

 be beat by this time. Your path is short and easy, 

 give your horse a moment to wind, then don't spare 

 him." So saying, and with a wave of his whip, he 

 turned sliort to the right, and dashed down towards 



