should testify to it.
It is hardly likely that I shall hear any more of the matter; the Boers
were clearly in the wrong, and in any case they would not be likely at
the present moment, when the country is in a state very closely
approaching insurrection, to seek redress in an English court.
Fortunately 250 men of the 94th Regiment leave here to-morrow morning,
on the way to Pretoria. Their road will, for some distance, be the same
as yours; their colonel is at the present moment in the next room with
several of his officers, and I will request permission for your waggons
to follow his baggage-train. Thus you can keep with him until the road
separates, by which time you will be well out of the district of the
Boers who attacked you. You will, I suppose, go through Utrecht and
keep the eastern road, as that will be shorter than going round by
Standerton and Newcastle. If you will wait here for a few minutes, I
will speak to the colonel."
In a short time the magistrate returned, saying that Mr Harvey's six
waggons might join the baggage-train of the 94th on the following
morning.
At eight o'clock the 94th marched from Leydenberg, and Mr Harvey's
waggons fell in the rear of the column. As they had a considerable
amount of baggage and stores, the column would not proceed at a faster
rate than the ordinary pace of the bullock-train.
When the column was once on the march, the colonel rode down the line
and entered into conversation with Mr Harvey and the lads, who were
riding with him, and after having heard the narrative of the fight with
the Boers, he said to the lads, "You have had a baptism of fire early."
Mr Harvey smiled.
"They have had some very much more serious fighting in the country north
of the Limpopo; besides, they were both present at Isandula, Kambula,
and Ulundi."
"Indeed!" the colonel said; "then they have seen fighting. Perhaps you
will ride on with me to the head of the column again; we have a long
day's march before us, and if your young friends will give us some of
their experiences it will while away the time."
The four cantered together to the head of the column, where the doctor
and one or two other officers were riding. After a word or two of
introduction the colonel asked the lads to tell them how they came to be
at Isandula, and how they escaped to tell the tale.
"You had better tell it, Dick," Tom said; "you are a better hand at
talking than I."
Dick accordingly proceed
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