cr own readers

A DESERT RIDE. 65
of asses, th e barking of dogs, and th e shouting of
men were mingled.
4. We kept steadily on our way , but we did not
seem to be getting much further from the noises.
When we had ridden for a bout an hour, we became
aware that we were being pursued. The night was
yery dark , and we could see nothi ng but the campfires
in th e distance j but we could disti nctly hear the
clatter of hal' e . feet, and even the hurd breathing
of horses which were being driv en furiously,
5. Three courses were open to u - to sta nd
and figh t, to race for our lives, or to gi\'c our pursuers
th e lip. To have fought would hav e been
simpl e mad ne , for, fr om the noise our pu rsuers
made, there eemed to be hundreds of them . It was
doubtful if we could have escaped by hard riding,