n you're bein' sniped,
an' the 'unger for blood, when you've got the Hafridis, or the Fuzzies, or
the Dutchies, at close quarters, and the bay'nits are flickerin' in an'
out of the dirty caliker shirts or the dirty greatcoats like Jimmy O!
There's the 'unger for freedom and fresh hair when you're shut up in a
filthy mud cattle-pound like this 'ere Fort, or a stinkin' trench, with a
'andful of straw to set on by day an' a ragged blanket to kip in by
nights. But the 'unger to die is a 'unger _I_ ain't acquainted with. I'm
for livin' myself."

"I was hungry when you began to jaw," snarled the man who had been clerk
to the County Court. His lips were black and cracking with fever, and his
teeth chattered despite the fierce sunshine that baked the red clay
parapet against which he leaned his thin back. "I'm hungrier now, and
thirsty as well. Give the bucket over here." He drank of the thick,
yellowish, boiled water eagerly and yet with disgust, spilling the liquid
on his tattered clothing through the shaking of his wasted hands. Then he
turned to the wall, and lay down sullenly, scowling at the lantern-jawed
sympathiser who tried to thrust a rolled-up coat under his aching head.

"They'll be bringin' us our foddher at twelve av the clock," said Kildare,
with a twinkle of inextinguishable humour in his hollow eyes.
"Shuperannuated cavalry mount stuped in warrum kettle-gravy, wid a block
av baked sawdust for aich man that can get ut down. 'Tis an insult to the
mimory av the boiled bacon an' greens I would be aiting this day at
Carricknavore, to say nothin' av' the porther an' whisky that would be
washing ut down. Lashin's and lavin's there 'ud be for ivery wan, an' what
was over, me fadher--God be good to the ould boy alive or dead!--would be
disthributin' amongst the poor forninst the dure----"

"Beg pardon, sir." Another of the famine-bitten, ragged little garrison
addressed the question to the officer in charge of the Fort battery, as he
stepped down from the lookout with his field-glass in his hand. "Can you
tell us the difference of time between South Africa and England?"

"Two hours at Capetown. I'm not quite sure about the difference at
Gueldersdorp." The Lieutenant went over to the ancient smooth-bore, and
conferred with the gunners standing at her breech. The winches groaned,
the heavy mass of metal tilted on the improvised mounting, as the man to
whom the Lieutenant had replied said, with a quaver of longing in his