on in our
front.

I drew the sergeant's attention to it directly, and he nodded.

"That settles it at once," he said. "Here have I been telling myself it
was all my fancy; but now you hear it I feel it must be fact."

"I hear it; so does my man, and the trooper who rides next to me."

"Yes; and we can all hear it now," said the Sergeant. "Well, it's plain
enough. We're in a tight place, my lad, for there's only one answer to
it, and it explains why the Colonel hasn't sent us some support, for he
must have heard the firing."

"What do you make of it, then?"

"That the Doppers are better soldiers than we give them credit for
being, and they've got round to the Colonel's rear somehow, and shut him
in this giant hogs'-trough of a valley."

"Think so?" I said anxiously, as I thought of the Lieutenant.

"I'm sure of it. Now then; that's not our business. Halt! Right
about! Take position behind those stones. Dismount and cover the
retreat. Here they come."

The clatter of the horses of the other party came plainly to our ears as
we took our places ready to reply to the Boers' fire. I had intended to
have another look at the wounded man before this took place, and was
therefore much disappointed; but there was no help for it, and I stood
with Sandho fairly well sheltered behind a stone five feet high, upon
which my rifle rested. Then the party we were to relieve cantered by,
with two men wounded and supported on their horses; and as I watched the
puffs of smoke and listened to the bullets spattering and splaying the
rocks, with the buzz of the high shots now sounding so familiar, I
wondered at being able to take it all so coolly.

"I suppose it's because I'm beginning to get used to it," I thought.
Then I began to speculate as to what would happen now if the sergeant
was right, and we were to be attacked front and rear; and what it would
feel like if I were hit, as seemed very likely now that the enemy were
getting so near. But I glanced right and left at my companions, just in
time, to see the Sergeant start back, to stand shaking his right hand
vigorously, and directly after I saw the blood beginning to drip from
his finger-ends.

"Much hurt?" I asked, hurrying to his side, dragging out my
handkerchief the while.

"No!" he roared; "only a scratch. Back to your place, sir! Who told
you to leave? Here; stop! As you are here you may as well tie that rag
round it."

He said these last words mor