The two horses belonging to the escort were some fifty paces to the left.

It was as though they appreciated the position of affairs, and declined to mix with the animals of the discredited Englishman.
The Boers rose as Muller came and walked towards their horses, Muller slowly following them.

As they drew near, the horses hobbled away for twenty or thirty yards.

Then they lifted up their heads, and, as a consequence, their forelegs, to which the heads were tied, and stood looking defiantly at their captors, just as though they were trying to make up their minds whether or not to shake hands with them.
Frank Muller was alongside the two men now, and they were alongside the horses.
"Listen!" he said sternly.
The men looked up.
"Go on loosening the reims, and listen." They obeyed, and slowly began to fumble at the knee-halters.
"You understand what our orders are.

Repeat them--you!" The man with the tooth, who was addressed, still handling the reim, began as follows: "To take the two prisoners to the Vaal, to force them into the water where there is no drift, at night, so that they drown: if they do not drown, to shoot them." "Those are the orders," said the Vilderbeeste, grinning.
"You understand them ?" "We understand, _Meinheer_; but, forgive us, the matter is a big one.
You have the orders--we wish to see the authority." "Yah, yah," said the other, "show us the authority.