duties to keep the warriors hale and hearty, and prepare their thews for
a tough tussle. A regular system of scouting was matutinally carried on,
and it was thought that the enemy would not be able to encroach beyond
his border without enjoying a startling reception. At this time he was
not visible, and all that scouts could detect, beside some innocent
hares and springbok among the hills, was now and then a flying horseman
who disappeared on their approach.

But the Boers were not far off. They were encamped close to the border.
One adventurous individual, for his personal satisfaction, performed the
feat of travelling north and swimming across the Orange River to
reconnoitre. In the darkness of the night he stole out, plunged
cautiously into the river, clothes and all, and swam safely to the other
side. Then striking out in a north-easterly direction, he made for a
small kopje overlooking the Boer camp. Meanwhile the moon had sailed
out, and began to throw a sheet of silver over the panorama. Below, the
three lines of tents were outlined, and these were flanked and
interspersed with multitudinous waggons, which formed a chain almost
along the entire length of the valley. In the early dawn more objects
became discernible, the flickering red tongues of the camp-fires, the
winking eye of a lantern that hung from a pole. By this illumination it
was possible to note the general scene of disorder. Scattered garments
and goods in promiscuous array--ammunition and provisions, harness,
saddles, biltong, and gin-bottles--a multifarious, slovenly litter, shed
here, there, and everywhere. Only two sentries were visible, and these
our friend stealthily evaded. One Cerberus sat on the ground with his
back planted against a waggon wheel yawning dolefully, and farther on
slouched another, hands in pockets, head on chest, walking back and
forwards with the air of an automaton. The individual creeping past
them, close under their noses, smiled softly to himself. How simple to
sweep off a dozen or two of the inmates of the camp before these
so-called sentries recovered from their dozing. Fifty men and fifty
bayonets could have got in without difficulty, and the rout of the
rebels would have been an affair of moments. Now, perhaps before
nightfall the whole commando would have melted away!

Presently at the bottom of the kopje came horsemen--some five of
them--galloping along, and the adventurous one made haste to hide. The
Boer patro