Then having lifted Sihamba on the grey mare Zinti mounted the other horse himself, holding the mule by a leading riem.
"Which way, mistress ?" he asked.
"Homewards," she answered, and they cantered forward through the wood.
On the further side of this wood was a little sloping plain not more than three hundred paces wide, and beyond it lay the seaward Nek through which they must pass on their journey to the stead.

Already they were out of the wood and upon the plain, when from their right a body of horsemen swooped towards them, seven in all, of whom one, the leader, was Swart Piet himself, cutting them off from the Nek.

They halted their horses as though to a word of command, and speaking rapidly, Sihamba asked of Zinti: "Is there any other pass through yonder range, for this one is barred to us ?" "None that I know of," he answered; "but I have seen that the ground behind us is flat and open as far as the great peak which you saw rising on the plain away beyond the sky-line." "Good," said Sihamba.

"Let us head for the peak, since we have nowhere else to go, and if we are separated, let us agree to meet upon its southern slope.

Now, Zinti, loose the mule, for we have our lives to save, and ride on, remembering that Death is behind you.".