ended from
the walls and crossed to where their servants were holding their
chargers.

Directly after a note was sounded, followed by a sharp order or two, and
horse and man, troop after troop, filed out into position and stood
ready to mount.

The order was not long in coming, and we sprang into our saddles, all in
profound ignorance of what was before us, save that we were soon to
return. About fifty men had been left as garrison.

Then an order was given, and we divided into two bodies. One
detachment, under the Major, moved off, to pass round by the kopje; the
other, in which I served, taking the opposite direction, but turning
after passing round the stronghold, and meeting the other detachment
about half a mile to the east. There we sat, obtaining in the clear
evening light a full view of the enemy's proceedings.

We had no sooner halted than the officers' glasses were focussed, and
all waited anxiously for an explanation of the movements which the
non-commissioned officers and privates could see somewhat indistinctly
with the naked eye.

Denham was close to me; and, like the good fellow he was, he took care
to let me know what he made out, speaking so that his words were plainly
heard by Sergeant Briggs and the others near.

"It seems to be a general advance of the enemy," he said, with his eyes
close to his glass. "They're coming steadily on at a walk. Yes; wagons
and all."

"That doesn't mean an attack, sir," said the Sergeant.

"I don't know what it means," said Denham. "Yes, I think I do. They've
got some notion into their heads that we mean to break through the ring,
and they are going to close up, to make it more solid."

"They think we're getting tired of it, sir, and that when we see them
loaded with plenty of good things we shall surrender."

"Perhaps it's out of kindness, Briggs," said Denham, laughing. "They
want to tempt us into making another raid because the distance will be
shorter for us to go."

"Then I'm afraid they'll be disappointed, sir, for the Colonel isn't
likely to risk losing any of his men while we've got all those bullocks
to eat."

"I don't know what to make of it," said Denham; then, thoughtfully: "It
looks to me like some bit of cunning--a sort of ruse to get within
rifle-shot. Look how steadily they're coming on."

That was plain enough to us all, line after line of horsemen advancing
as regularly as if they had been well-drilled cavalry; and for my part,