She seems to have done the distance between the Mission Station and
Maraisfontein in wonderful time, as, for the matter of that, the roan
did too. I have taken a fancy to her, after a gallop on her back
yesterday just to give her some exercise, and although I don't know that
she is quite up to my weight, I'll buy her."

"The mare is not for sale, Heer Pereira," I said, speaking for the first
time, "and I do not remember giving anyone leave to exercise her."

"No, your father did, or was it that ugly little beast of a Hottentot?
I forget which. As for her not being for sale--why, in this world
everything is for sale, at a price. I'll give you--let me see--oh, what
does the money matter when one has plenty? I'll give you a hundred
English pounds for that mare; and don't you think me a fool. I tell you
I mean to get it back, and more, at the great races down in the south.
Now what do you say?"

"I say that the mare is not for sale, Heer Pereira." Then a thought
struck me, or an inspiration, and, as has always been my fashion, I
acted on it at once. "But," I added slowly, "if you like, when I am a
bit stronger I'll shoot you a match for her, you staking your hundred
pounds and I staking the mare."

Pereira burst out laughing.

"Here, friends," he called to some of the Boers who were strolling up to
the house for their morning coffee. "This little Englishman wants to
shoot a match with me, staking that fine mare of his against a hundred
pounds British; against me, Hernando Pereira, who have won every prize
at shooting that ever I entered for. No, no, friend Allan, I am not a