s own skirmishes with the
enemy, as if the general in command had forgotten the very existence of
the force at Isandula. Even in the middle of the day, when the firing
of cannon told that the camp was attacked, no steps were taken to
ascertain whether reinforcements were needed there, and it was not until
hours after all was over that a party was despatched to ascertain what
had taken place at the camp.

Upon the day on which the two native regiments advanced, the two boys
felt the time hang heavy on their hands; they would have liked to take
their guns and go out to shoot some game for their dinners, but all
shooting had been strictly forbidden, as the sound of a gun might cause
a false alarm. After hanging about the camp for an hour or two, Dick
proposed that they should climb the hill which rose so steeply behind
them.

"If the columns have any fighting," he said, "we should be sure to see
it from the top."

Borrowing a telescope from one of the officers of the volunteer cavalry,
they skirted round to the back of the hill, and there began their climb.
It was very steep, but after some hard work they reached the summit,
and then crossed to the front and sat down in a comfortable niche in the
rock, whence they could command a view far down the valley. They could
see the two battalions of infantry marching steadily along, and the
cavalry moving among the hills and undulations on both flanks. They had
taken some biscuits and a bottle of beer up with them, and spent the
whole day on the look-out. The view which they gained was a very
extensive one, as the hill was far higher than those on either side, and
in many places they could see small bodies of the enemy moving about.
At sunset they descended.

"I vote we go up again," Tom said the next morning. "The general has
gone forward with most of the white troops, and there is sure to be
fighting to-day. We shall have nothing to do, and may as well go up
there as anywhere else."

After the general's departure there remained in camp five companies of
the 1st battalion of the 24th, and one of the 2nd battalion, two
field-pieces with their artillery men, and some mounted men.

Just as the boys were starting at eight in the morning, there was a
report in the camp that the Zulus were gathering in force to the north
of the camp. This quickened the boys' movements and half an hour later
they gained the top of the hill, and from their old position looked down
upon th