trek-ox laugh, and say `Gammon,'" replied the black, showing
his glistening teeth.

"Very well, then; when you are getting within earshot let Joeboy give
three roars half-a-minute apart."

"Right," I said.--"You understand, Joeboy?"

"Um? Yes, Boss Val."

"Here, give us a specimen," said Denham. "Don't make a bully row. Just
roar gently so that I shall know it again."

Joeboy dropped upon his hands and knees, placed his lips close to the
surface of the wall, and a low, deep, thunderous roar seemed to make the
air quiver and shudder. Directly afterwards there was an excited
stamping and neighing amongst the horses.

"That'll do splendid," whispered my companion. "Three times, mind.
Hark! they're talking about it all over the place. There'll be an alarm
directly about a lion getting into the laager."

By the time we had reached the spot where the officers made their bare,
unsheltered camp, the alarm had already died away; and, after being
challenged, we had leave to advance.

The Colonel heard what we had to say in silence, and then remained for a
minute or two without speaking.

"It is a very risky and daring business, Moray, my lad," he said; "but
we are in a desperate strait. I did mean to make another dash for
liberty to-night; but since this piece of good fortune has turned up
I'll wait twenty-four hours and see what you do. If you succeed I
promise you that--"

"Please don't promise me anything, sir," I said quickly. "Let me go and
try my best. If I fail--"

"And the Boers take you prisoner," said the Colonel quickly, "I shall,
like every one in the corps, thank you all the same for a very dashing
and plucky venture.--As for you, Denham; yes, certainly. Take fifty
men, and go out to meet him and bring him in. You need not, of course,
start till well on towards morning; and when you are gone I shall order
out nearly all the rest of the force to your support, so as to bring you
all in, if you are pressed."

"Thank you, sir," I said eagerly; but Denham replied in rather a grumpy
tone, for he was all on fire to begin doing something almost at once.

"Then I may start when I like, sir?"

"Certainly, my lad. Of course you will take your rifle?"

"Yes, sir."

"Take two revolvers instead of one. You may want them at a pinch; but
you must depend upon scheming in this, and not on strength. By the way,
there are a few biscuits in my haversack; you can take them."

"Oh no, sir--" I began; bu