h the recent action had shown
to be weak, and never ceased work until the place had been made almost
impregnable against an assault of savages, however brave.

The messenger who carried to Natal the news of the victory of Kambula
also took letters from the boys to their parents, acquainting them of
their safety; and with the first convoy of wounded on the following day
the boys started for home, Colonel Wood having given to each a
flattering testimonial as to their gallant conduct in the action, and
having presented them with two horses belonging to men of Buller's corps
who had fallen in the action, ordering that the horses should be entered
as bought for the Queen's service, and the value paid to the relatives
of their late owners.

Three days' march took the convoy to Utrecht, and the next morning the
boys rode home, the distance from there to Newcastle being about forty
miles. They were received as if they had risen from the dead, for their
letters had not arrived before them, and their parents had of course
assumed that they had been killed at Isandula. Both the mothers were in
mourning, and their joy at the restoration of their sons was unbounded.

Mrs Jackson fainted from surprise and delight, as Tom rode up; but
Dick, remembering the effect which the news of his being alive in the
snow had produced upon his mother, was careful to save her the shock.
Accordingly, instead of riding direct to the house, he made a devour and
rode across the farm until he met Bill Harrison. The man was delighted
at the sight of his young master, and could hardly believe his eyes, as
he saw him riding towards him.

After the first warm greeting was over, Dick learned that his mother had
been seriously ill, and was now recovering, and that his father had been
much shaken. Dick told Harrison to go to the house, and, under the
excuse of some question about his work, to call Mr Humphreys out, and
to tell him of his return, leaving it to him to break the news to his
wife.

This Mr Humphreys, after recovering from his own emotion at the joyful
intelligence, did so gradually and quietly, that the tale produced no
injurious effect upon the mother.

He began by saying that he had heard that a rumour was afloat that some
of those that were supposed to have been killed at Isandula had been
kept captives by the Zulus.

Mrs Humphreys for a time doubted the news, but, upon her husband's
assurance that the intelligence was well founded,