Still, for all that, if I could come upon a saddled pony,
and there was a chance of getting off with it, I should take it without
hesitation as a fair spoil of war."
"Yes, so should I, for the betting would be very strongly against our
running across its owner; and in the next place, it would greatly
increase our chance of getting safely through. It is the fact of our
being on foot that will attract attention. We could walk about a camp
full of Boers without anyone noticing it, but to walk into the camp
would seem so extraordinary, that we should be questioned at once. A
Boer travelling across the country on foot would be a sight hitherto
unknown."
"There I agree with you; and I do think that when we get to Helpmakaar,
which we can do to-morrow evening if we make a good long march to-night,
we had better see if we can't appropriate a couple of ponies. We can
walk boldly into the place, and no one would notice we were new-comers.
There are sure to be ponies standing about, and it will be hard if we
cannot bag a couple. Then we can ride by the road south from there to
Greytown, and after crossing the Tugela, strike off by the place where
we had the fight near Umbala mountain, which would be a good landmark
for us, and from there follow our old line back to Estcourt.
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