"Take care of me too."

"Um! Yes! Take care too," replied the black; and just then an idea
struck me, and I hastened to communicate it to my companion at once.

"Why, Denham," I said, "we ought to send Joeboy right on in front, away
in advance of the guard. He wouldn't be noticed in the dark, and would
be able to get close to the outposts and let us know when it is time to
charge."

"Silence in the ranks there!" said a stern voice. "Not a word there!
Who's here?"

"Denham, sir," replied my companion.

"Then you had better go to the rear. I want trustworthy officers in
front during this emergency."

"Yes, sir," said Denham bitterly; and he was in the act of falling out
from his place when, feeling unable to contain myself, I broke out:

"I beg pardon, sir; it was my fault. I spoke to propose--"

"To propose what?--Silence!"

I was mutinous in my excitement, for I continued:

"To send on this black we have with us right in front. He could get
close up to the outposts without being seen."

I expected a severe rebuke before I had finished; but, to my surprise,
the Colonel--for it was he who had ridden up to the front--heard me to
the end.

"A black?" he said. "Is he to be trusted?"

"I'll answer for him, sir," I said eagerly.

"Here, Mr Denham," said the Colonel, "stay in your place. Yes--send
the black scout on at once to creep forward far in advance of the
column, and tell him to come back and give us full warning of how near
we are to the enemy."

The Colonel drew rein as soon as he had spoken, and we passed on, while
as soon as we were getting out of hearing Denham gripped my arm.

"You brick!" he whispered. "Now then, send on your Joeboy.--Do you
understand what for?" he now asked the black.

"Um!" replied Joeboy. "Find the Doppies, and come back."

"That's right," said Denham eagerly. "Creep up as close as you can, and
then come and warn us. Oh, what a blessing to have a black skin, and no
clothes to hide it!"

"Joeboy go now?"

"Yes. Off," whispered Denham, and the black uttered a peculiar click
with his tongue, leaped out sidewise, and then bounded forward without a
sound. One moment we saw his black figure dimly; the next he seemed to
have melted away or been absorbed into the blackness right ahead, and
for some time we were following the track of what had been like a
shadow.

I listened as our horses tramped quietly on through what was, now that
the kopje had been left b