ut you will be, sure. Not that I think you deserve it. There
wasn't much risk."

"Oh no," I said; "only the risk of being taken, and shot for a traitor,
a thief, and a spy."

"That's only what the Doppies would call it, and they're idiots."

"If a fellow is going to be shot," I said, "it doesn't make much
difference to him whether he's shot by a wise man or a fool."

"Oh, I don't know," said Denham quickly. "I'd rather be shot by a wise
man than by a Boer pig. But there was no risk. You and that big nigger
went in the dark, and you had luck on your side, and--Oh, I say, Val,
you did it splendidly! I had a good tuck-out of mealie-porridge this
morning, and three big slices of prime beef frizzled. I feel quite a
new man with all that under my jacket, and ready to take two Boers
single-handed."

"Yes, a good meal does make a difference," I said, smiling with pleasant
recollections of my own breakfast.

"Difference! Oh, it was splendid! I felt as if I could have voted for
you to be made colonel on the spot, and black Joeboy adjutant, when I
caught sight of you coming with six wagons and teams instead of one. My
dear boy, you've won the affection of every one in the corps, from the
Colonel right down to the cooks. It's only cupboard-love, of course;
but they're very fond of you now. We were going to chair you round the
big court last night, but the Colonel stopped it. `Let the poor fellow
have a good rest,' he said. But we did all drink your health with three
times three--in water. Here--hullo! What game do you call that?"

He pointed to where, half a mile away, a dozen of our men were riding
out, closely followed by the bullocks we had captured overnight.

"Taking the teams out to graze, I suppose. The poor beasts must be well
fed to keep them in condition."

"Of course. But how do we know that they won't all bolt back for the
Boers' camp? They're Boer bullocks, you know. Oh! I'll never forgive
the Colonel if he loses all that beef."

"The poor brutes will only make for the nearest patches of grass and
bush," I said, "and their guard will take care to head them back if they
seem disposed to stray."

"But is any one on the lookout with a glass on the wall?"

"Sure to be," I said.

"I'm not so sure," cried Denham impatiently. "Why, there must be going
on for six hundred sirloins there, without counting other tit-bits; and
if the bullocks are taken care of, each one is a sort of walking saf