At the worst it meant waiting a day or two, for I should not venture, home.

The Boers would ride back--of that I felt sure; then, thinking I should certainly seek for refuge with my people, they would scour the country in search of me, and they might search Echo Nek, though it was ten miles away.
"Never mind," I said to myself cheerily enough; "that all belongs to what _may be_: let's think only of _will be_;" and I rode on, scanning the track and keeping a good lookout from side to side for the likeliest spot for my attempt.

I was still keenly watching when the shades of evening darkened into night, and the right place had not yet come; there were even moments when doubts began to creep in, for my arms grew acutely painful, and this thought worried me terribly: "Helpless as I am now, and growing weary, shall I have the strength to carry out my plan ?" I still had strength enough to drive out the doubting thought, and forced myself into watching eagerly for my chance, having pretty well determined what I would do first, trusting to the sudden surprise to give me a few moments' start.
In vain I looked for such a sanctuary as a rocky pile of scattered granite would afford, for it had at last grown dark--a clear, semi-transparent darkness, through which I could see twenty or thirty yards in any direction; beyond that distance everything rapidly grew black.

If I could at once get fifty yards away, there was apparently clear galloping ground, and distance would at any moment furnish me with a dark hiding-place.

All I wanted was the start; but how to get it?
I had my big knife in my pocket; but I might as well have been without it, fastened as I was.