Sandho

"Um!" he said, in token of assent; and upon my calling Sandho to my side

Charge! A Story of Briton and Boer George Manville Fenn 1870

I exclaimed; and I suppose I must have started and given Sandho a familiar pressure, or else it was the instinct of self-preservation at work in the sensible animal, for he suddenly made a bound forward so unexpectedly that I was nearly unseated; but my arms were now free, and, reaching down and getting tight hold of his leathern breastplate, I held on and let him go.

Charge! A Story of Briton and Boer George Manville Fenn 1870

Sandho and the three troopers on my right stopped short, and the whole line of horsemen suddenly halted.

Charge! A Story of Briton and Boer George Manville Fenn 1870

The plunge Sandho gave nearly unseated me, and in another moment he would have been rearing and kicking to get free; but a few gentle words from my lips soothed the poor beast down, and he settled into his canter once more, while I fell to wondering whether my poor horse could think and would understand that the brutal treatment did not come from his master.

Charge! A Story of Briton and Boer George Manville Fenn 1870

It was only a momentary glance to see what our chances were; and in answer to the Colonel's words I shouted to Sandho to come round to my side.

Charge! A Story of Briton and Boer George Manville Fenn 1870

Giving up the satisfaction of getting his report about the young Lieutenant, I went to where Sandho was picketed with the rest, and stood by his head for about half-an-hour, petting and caressing him, before going back towards the rough breastwork -- partly natural, partly artificial -- which served as a shelter from the bullets.

Charge! A Story of Briton and Boer George Manville Fenn 1870

"I'll soon see," I said; and as I urged Sandho on, the shrinking beast cautiously picked his way past the dead group, and we soon got up to a narrow rift full of bushes, the path among the rocks running right up to the highest point, towards which the baboons began to retire now, chattering away, but keeping a keen watch on our proceedings.

Charge! A Story of Briton and Boer George Manville Fenn 1870

So we went on for nearly an hour, with Joeboy leading Sandho in and out among the great blocks of stone which strewed our way, keeping him where the sand was soft by getting well in front, so that the horse's steps were pretty nearly in his own.

Charge! A Story of Briton and Boer George Manville Fenn 1870

Sandho swerve round to the left; and, before raising my head to see what it was, I turned my face sidewise so as to get a glance back at my pursuers, and could hardly believe my eyes when I saw that no Boers were there.

Charge! A Story of Briton and Boer George Manville Fenn 1870

For answer Joeboy stepped on at once, and for the first time Sandho kicked against a stone, one of his shoes not only giving out a sharp

Charge! A Story of Briton and Boer George Manville Fenn 1870