should like to milk."

I laughed too, but I felt as if I should not much like to undertake such
another expedition as the last, and that it would be pleasanter to
remain content with the roast beef and very decent bread our men
contrived to make in the old furnace after it had been a bit modified,
or with the "cookies" that were readily made on an iron plate over a
fire of glowing embers. Oh no! I don't mean damper, that stodgy cake
of flour and water fried in a pan; they were the very eatable cakes one
of our corporals turned out by mixing plenty of good beef-dripping with
the flour, and kneading all up together. They were excellent--or, as
Denham said, would have been if we had possessed some salt.

One of our greatest difficulties was the want of fuel, for it was scarce
around the old stronghold when we had cut down all the trees and bushes
growing out of the ledges and cracks about the kopje; and the question
had been mooted whether we should not be obliged to blast out some of
the roots wedged in amongst the stones by ramming in cartridges. But
while there was any possibility of making adventurous raids in all
directions where patches of trees existed, and the men could gallop out,
halt, and each man, armed with sword and a piece of rein, cut his
faggot, bind it up, and gallop back, gunpowder was too valuable to be
used for blasting roots. This was now, however, becoming a terribly
difficult problem, for the enemy--eagerly seizing upon the chance to
make reprisals when these were attended by no great risk to themselves--
had more than once chased and nearly captured our foraging parties.

Consequently all thoughts of fires for warmth during the cold nights,
when they would have been most welcome, were abandoned; while the men
eagerly volunteered for cooks' assistants; and the officers were not
above gathering in the old furnace-place of a night, after the cooking
was over, for the benefit of the warmth still emitted by the impromptu
oven.

Meanwhile every economy possible was practised, and the fuel store
jealously guarded. The said fuel store consisted of every bone of the
slaughtered animals that could be saved, and even the hides; these,
though malodorous, giving out a fine heat when helped by the green
faggots, which were in turn started ablaze by chips of the gradually
broken-up wagons.

Then, too, the veldt was laid under contribution, men going out mounted,
and furnished with sacks, which they g