I lay flat on my chest and worked myself along upon my hands and toes.

It was only about a dozen yards where it was light, but it seemed like a mile." "Never mind that!" said Ingleborough impatiently.

"You did it unheard ?" "Yes; but a man sitting in the wagon suddenly moved when I was half across, and I was about to spring up, thinking that he was searching for his rifle." "Phew!" whistled Ingleborough softly.
"It was well I did not; for directly after, to save getting up and opening his lantern, the Boer struck a match, and as I lay perfectly still, fully expecting to be shot, the whole place seemed to be lit up, and instead of hearing a rifle cocked I smelt a whiff of strong coarse tobacco, and I felt that I was safe." "Go on and get it over!" whispered Ingleborough.

"You are making my hands feel wet." "I lay some time before I dared to move." "That you didn't, for you weren't gone long." "Well, it seemed an hour to me: and then I crept on and out of the light into the black darkness again, rose to my hands and knees, wondering whether I was going right, and the next minute my hand rubbed softly against a wagon-wheel, and I knew I was right." "Bravo!" whispered Ingleborough.
"I rose up directly, and began to feel about carefully for the tilt, and once more my heart seemed to rise to my mouth, for from under the wagon there came a dull deep snoring, and I felt it was impossible to do more for fear of being heard." "But you made a dash for it ?" "No: I waited to get my breath, for I was just as if I had been running.
But as soon as I could I went on feeling along the edge of the tilt, and then my heart gave a jump, for my hand touched the barrel of a rifle and directly after that of another." "Hurrah!" panted out Ingleborough, and West went on.
"I began to draw the first towards me, but, as soon as I did, to my horror the other began to move, and I felt that if I kept on the second one would fall and wake the sleeping Boers.

So I reached up with my other hand, got well hold, and drew both together.