eing passed
in sleep, till we were suddenly aroused by firing. There were two or
three fits of excitement in the course of the afternoon, and a smart
exchange of shots which at one time threatened to develop into a regular
attempt to assault the fort; but it died out at last, direct attack of
entrenchments not being in accord with the Boers' ideas of fighting. It
is too dangerous for men who like to be safely in hiding and to bring
down their enemies as if they were wild beasts of the veldt.

No Joeboy appeared, and in the dusk of evening we went across the yard,
had a good look at our horses, stopped patting and caressing them for
some time, then went back to the hospital unquestioned and, I believe,
unseen, with the coils of raw-hide rope. From that time everything
seemed to me so delightfully easy that it prognosticated certain
success.

The doctor came at dusk and had a chat; then the Sergeant looked us up
to tell us that he had seen nothing of Joeboy, but that the butcher told
him he had missed some strips of beef hung up in the sun to make
biltong, and that he believed the black had taken them.

"Why?" I asked sharply.

"Because he was so fond of eating; and he said the black would be found
curled up amongst the stones somewhere in the kopje among the baboons,
sleeping off his feed."

"It isn't true," I said warmly. "Joeboy wouldn't steal unless he knew
we were starving, and then it would be to bring it to his master and his
master's friend."

"That's what I like in you, Val," said Denham as soon as the Sergeant
had left us. "You always stick up for a friend when any one attacks him
behind his back."

"Of course," I replied angrily.

"Don't be cross, old man," he cried. "I didn't mean to insult you by
calling a black fellow your friend."

"That wouldn't insult me. Joeboy is a humble friend, who would give his
life to save mine."

"I wish he was with us, then, so as to make a present of it to somebody
if we should be in very awkward quarters."

"I can't understand it," I said; "but we mustn't worry about that now.
What about arms?"

"Revolvers under our jackets, out of sight, and a few cartridges in our
pouches along with the cake and beef we saved."

"No rifle, bandolier, or sword?" I said thoughtfully.

"Neither one nor the other, my lad. We're going to get through the
lines as sick men tired of it all, and whose fighting is done."

"Perhaps to be taken as spies," I said.

"Ugh! D