Jock Of The Bushveld by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick (Chapter 21)( Page 5 ) Monkeys And Wildebeeste

I stood and faced the bush that Mungo had shied at, and the first thing that occurred to me was that my bandolier and cartridges were with the pony.  Then Jock growled low and moved a few steps forward and slightly to the right, also sheering off from that bush.  I felt that he was bristling all over, but there was neither time nor light to watch him. I stepped slowly sideways after him gripping the rifle and looking hard at the bush. Our line was much the same as Mungo's and would take us some seven or eight paces off the road--more than that was not possible owing to the barrier of thorns on that side.  When we got abreast of the bush two large spots of pale light appeared in the middle of it, apparently waist high from the ground. It is impossible to forget the tense creepy feeling caused by the dead stillness, the soft light, and the pale expressionless glow of those eyes--the haunting mystery of eyes and nothing more! It is not unusual to see eyes in the night; but this was a `nervy' occasion, and there is no other that comes back with all the vividness and reality of the experience itself, as this one does.  And I was not the only nervous one.  Mungo incontinently bolted--probably what he saw warranted it; Jock, as ever, faced it; but when my foot touched his hind leg as we sidled away he flew round with a convulsive jump.  He too was strung to concert pitch. As we moved on and passed the reflecting angle of the moon, the light of the eyes went out as suddenly and silently as it had appeared.  There was nothing then to show me where danger lay; but Jock knew, and I kept a watch on him.  He jogged beside me, lagging slightly as if to cover our retreat, always looking back.  A couple of times he stopped entirely and stood in the road, facing straight back and growling; and I followed suit.  He was in command; he knew! There was nothing more.  Gradually Jock's subdued purring growl died down and the glances back became fewer.  I found Mungo a long way on, brought to a standstill by the slipping of his load; and we caught up to the waggons at the next outspan.