piring
work and it was up. Whatever the contents were, they were protected by
a thick wrapper of oilskin. This he proceeded to unwind, but carefully,
so as to be able to replace it readily. Then a quantity of tow, also
well oiled, and then--

No human remains, no shining coins, no old and massive silver, no
treasure of any kind met his eager gaze. But there, in the top of the
box, lay several rifles in a row.

He took one out, carried it as near the light of day as he dared go, and
examined it. The weapon was one of the newest pattern--a Mauser. The
others on the top layers were all alike. Allowing for the depth of the
chest, he reckoned that it must contain at least a couple of dozen
rifles. Here was a discovery. What was the meaning of this secret
armoury? There could be only one. For only one purpose could these
weapons be stowed away thus in the caves of the rocks--for the arming of
the rebel Boers when the word went forth for them to rise, and join
their brethren in the Transvaal and Free State, to throw off the British
yoke from the Zambesi to Cape Agulhas.

Replacing the rifle, he rapidly screwed down the case, and stowed it
away in the hole whence he had taken it, carefully piling up the dust
and loose earth against it and the others so as to obviate all trace of
interference. Hardly had he done so than the sound of hoof-strokes and
harsh voices without struck upon his ear. Peering cautiously forth, he
beheld, down upon the track from which he had ascended, two armed and
mounted Boers, and they were in close confabulation with Gert
Bondelzwart, his retainer.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

AN EVIL AMBUSH.

Standing there within the cave, which had now become his hiding-place,
Colvin Kershaw was conscious of very mingled feelings. His
hiding-place! Why should he be in hiding? why should he not go forth?
Only that to do so would place his life in very serious jeopardy--not at
the moment perhaps, for they would hardly venture to murder him openly
and in broad daylight; besides, he had his revolver on. No, it would be
afterwards, when they could waylay him at some unexpected part of the
track--and what was the use of a revolver against the rifles of two or
more cleverly ambushed foes? They could shoot him down without the
slightest risk to themselves, and shoot him down he knew they would, and
that without a moment's hesitation, once they became aware that he had
discovered their perilous because treas