On such occasions we act, I suppose, more from instinct than from anything else--there is no time for thought.

At any rate, I dropped the reins and, raising my gun, fired point blank at the left-hand man.

The bullet struck him in the middle of his shield, pierced it, and passed through him, and over he rolled upon the veldt.

I swung round in the saddle; most happily my horse was accustomed to standing still when I fired from his back, also he was so surprised that he did not know which way to shy.

The other savage was almost on me; his outstretched shield reached the muzzle of my gun as I pulled the trigger of the left barrel.