thought now all was
over; the new hope had faded out into darkness; but a measure of
confidence returned when Denham, feigning sleep, muttered, and uttered a
sob which ended in a low, uneasy groan.

My eyes not being quite shut, I could dimly see through the narrow slit
the faces of two of the Boers, one showing his teeth in a grin as they
drew back and returned to their companions, when the talking began
again. As this went on I felt the sawing movement of the knife being
resumed, the two active hands which had been passed between the slits in
the wagon-bottom working more rapidly. Then there was a pause, and I
felt terrible pain as something thin and hard was passed under one of
the bands before the sawing recommenced. I could hardly repress a cry
of pain; but silence meant perhaps liberty and life. I knew, too, that
it was a piece of iron that had been thrust in for the knife to cut down
upon and save my wrist from a wound.

Just then Denham whispered, "I couldn't help it, old chap; but I cheated
them afterwards. Is he still cutting?"

"Yes; he has gone through the reins on my wrists, and has begun at my
ankles."

"Val," whispered Denham again, with his face below the great rug, "it's
that big black angel of a fellow, Joeboy."

"No," I said softly, though I could hardly utter my thoughts, my voice
panting with emotion. "It's not Joeboy: the hands are too small. It's
my brother come to our help."

I knew now that my previous night's experience was not a dream, and that
Bob really was in the Boer camp with my father, and had crept under the
wagon and whispered hope.

"Are there two Val Morays in the world?" murmured poor Denham, with
something which sounded very much like a sob.

Lying perfectly still, I made no answer. I knew that the knife had set
my ankles free; but they were still tethered, not by raw-hide rope but
with insensibility, as if perfectly dead.

"They will come right in time," I thought, my heart meanwhile beating
fast. "Bob will tell us what to do. Will it be to make our escape when
the attention of the Boer sentries is taken off us by the coming attack
upon the fort?"

Then I was listening to a low tearing sound as of the knife passing once
more through the skin-rug, and directly after I heard Denham begin to
breathe hard. I understood what that meant. Making a slight effort, as
I lay covered up, I brought my arms out from beneath me, numbed and
aching but not powerless, and