but dulling as they reached the swamp. Now lumps of damp clay flew
from Grey Weather's hooves and a piece hit Dirk's chest and sprayed
dirt on the white silk of his shirt. Sun Dancer's gait altered as she
felt the soft ground.
'Easy, girl. Hey there, girl,' Dirk whispered and held her firmly with
his knees to give her confidence. The grass brushed his stirrups and
ahead of him Grey Weather splashed into the first mud hole, plunged
through it and into the swamp proper.
The tall papyrus engulfed him.
'The old man was right,' Dirk smiled for the first time.
Michael was forcing a path through the reeds, Battening them for Dirk
to follow with half the effort. TWice Grey Weather sunk to his belly
in potholes of black glue, rearing and struggling to free himself while
Dirk skirted them.
Both horses were shiny with mud, and their riders were soaked to the
waist and splattered above. The swamp stank like an animal cage and
marsh gas erupted sullenly as they disturbed it. Clouds of insects
rose about them, a sakabula bird fled shrieking as they ploughed
through the papyrus. One of the razor leaves lashed Michael's cheek
and a thread of blood ran down his jaw washing the blobs of mud with it
and dripped on to his shirt.
Then suddenly the ground firmed under them, the solid papyrus broke
into clumps, thinned and was left behind and Grey Weather led them out
on to the first slope of the escarpment. He was running heavily now,
and grunting with each stride, while Sun Dancer moved up beside him.
'You're finished!' Dirk shouted at Michael as they drew level.
'I'll see you at the finish-line,' and he leaned forward in the saddle
and gave Sun Dancer the spurs and the whip together.
Without pressing his horse Michael angled him off towards the right,
letting him move under slack rein to pick his own way and he began the
first leg of a series of zigzags that would take him to the top.
On the steep ground below the crest Dirk used the whip incessantly, and
Sun Dancer went up in a series of scrambling leaps with the loose rock
rolling under her hooves. The sweat had washed away the mud from her
shoulders and she landed with less control at each jump. 'Pull, you
bitch. Pull!' Dirk shouted at her, and looked back in agony at
Michael's sedate ascent. He was two hundred yards below and coming
steadily.
Dirk's movement caught Sun Dancer off balance and she landed awkwardly
at the next jump, her hooves scrabbled and she started to fall. Dirk
kicked his feet from the stirrups and jumped with the reins still in
his hands. The instant he landed he leaned back on the reins to hold
her, but she was down on her knees now, sliding back and she pulled
Dirk down with her on to the level place below.
They struggled together and when at last he got her on her feet she was
trembling with terror, dust and pieces of dry grass Coated her muddy
legs.
'Damn you! Damn you, you clumsy bitch,' whispered Dirk as he ran his
hands over her hocks to check for damage. He glanced back at Michael
and found him much closer now.
