90 A MASTERLY RETREAT. 



the meaning of the peculiar border command, and he continued his preparations 

 for shooting. 



While the rest of his companions were interested in their chieftain, who was 

 still somewhat groggy on his feet, the bowman was the only one disposed to attend 

 strictly to business. 



It took him but a few seconds to make ready, when he extended his left hand, 

 grasping the middle of the bow, and began sighting carefully at the horseman, whose 

 steed had now backed a considerable distance up the slope. 



But before the Bushman could complete his aim, Jack Harvey had pressed the 

 trigger of his rifle, and you need not be told that he made no miss. 



That which followed seems incredible. The Bushman archer uttered a rasp- 

 ing shriek, and went over backward from his pony. In the act of doing so, he in- 

 stinctively discharged the arrow, but it was aimless, and, instead of speeding in the 

 direction of the white man, it bounded straight up in air with diminished mo- 

 mentum, turning, at a height of less than a hundred feet, and descending among 

 the startled group, where the point punctured the shoulder of one of the Africans, 

 who, for the moment, could not understand whence came the deadly hurt. 



This was the crisis for which Jack Harvey had been waiting, and, wheeling his 

 mustang around, he sent him toward the crest of the hill like the arrow discharged 

 toward him a few minutes before. 



The fugitive expected several of the venomous shafts, and threw himself forward 

 on the neck of his horse, keeping his gaze on his enemies, so as to dodge their 

 missiles if necessary; but, extraordinary as it may seem, not a single one followed him. 



The death of the archer, taking place before the party had fully recovered from 

 the mishap of its leader, rendered the confusion, for a moment, greater than before, 

 and, ere the Bushmen could understand all that had taken place, the Texan's 

 mustang had whisked over the hill and joined the other ponies. 



All three felt that duty did not require them to wait longer in that neighborhood, 

 and they lost no time in riding back to camp and joining the sorely frightened 

 natives, whose fears had been increased, rather than diminished, by the arrival of 

 Pongo on his captured steed : for the latter, thinking he might be of some service 

 to his chivalrous rescuer, had immediately wheeled about and rode back, meeting 

 and joining the three friends on their return. 



Hardly had the five horsemen reached camp, when the Bushmen* reappeared on 

 the hills as before, and looked down upon the hunting party that had given them 

 such a chastisement. But they had learned an important lesson : it was perilous 

 to trifle with men who owned such mysterious and awful weapons. 



The leader of the Bushmen was compelled to share a seat with one of his war- 

 riors, where he looked far less impressive than when he bestrode his own steed. He 

 had lost his valued horse, not to mention his best bowman and another warrior, and 

 was sure to suffer still more if he attempted further molestation. 



The natives had had enough, and, after indulging in a number of peculiar cries 

 and gestures, wheeled about and disappeared. 



