age finally. He therefore rode quietly on with the insolent
laughter of the Dutchmen ringing in his ears. The lads were equally
indignant, and it was only the example of Mr Harvey which had
restrained them.

"Things have come to a pretty pass," Mr Harvey said, as he dismounted,
"that Englishmen should be openly insulted in this way. However, I
suppose it will not do to resent it, for these scoundrels would clearly
be only too glad of an excuse to shoot us down; but if this sort of
thing is going on at every village we pass through, we shall have hard
work in keeping our tempers until we are fairly out of the Transvaal. I
pity our countrymen who have bought land or setup stores in this
country. I was never fond of the Boers, though I am willing to allow
that they are a splendid set of men, and that they are magnificent
riders and good shots. I question if we shall ever retain them against
their will. Of course if we had a government which worked with energy
and decision it would be a different matter altogether. There are a
considerable number of English and Scotch settlers already here, and the
natives would rise against the Dutch to a man if called upon to do so;
and if a couple of dozen of their ringleaders were promptly seized and
shot, there would be an end to the whole matter. But I know what it
will be: the natives will not be encouraged or even allowed to rise, our
soldiers, who can hardly hit a haystack at a hundred yards, will be shot
down at a distance by the Boers, and, likely enough, we shall meet with
a serious disaster, and then the English government will get frightened
and make any terms these fellows demand."

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

A FIGHT WITH THE BOERS.

For some time they continued their journey, meeting everywhere with the
grossest incivility on the part of the Boers; in many places they were
refused water at the farms, and warned at once off the land, and Mr
Harvey had the greatest difficulty in keeping his own temper and
restraining the boys from resenting the language of the Boers.

One day, as they were riding along, two Boers on horseback halted on an
eminence near the road and addressed taunting remarks to them; they made
no answer, but continued their way. They had not gone a hundred yards
when one of the Boers deliberately took aim and fired at them; the ball
passed between Dick and Mr Harvey and struck one of the natives walking
just in front of them, killing him upon the spo