thrust my left hand inside my flannel
shirt, my fingers coming in contact with the butt of my revolver.

"My hands are free, Val," Denham whispered faintly.

"Feel for your revolver," I whispered back. "Hist! Careful"--for I
could plainly hear the Boer sentries coming towards the wagon again, and
the faint cutting noise ceased as the talking stopped.

One of the men placed his hand on the back of the great vehicle, and was
in the act of climbing in, doubtless to examine our fastenings again.
My left hand now clutched my revolver tightly, though I knew that we
could do nothing, in our helpless state, to save ourselves.

"Oh, how hard!" I thought; "just when there was a chance of life!"

Then my breath seemed to stop short, for the sound of a shot came to us
from out of the distance where the Boer advance must be. This checked
the climbing Boer. Then another shot, and another. He had dropped back
to join his companions, who were doubtless gazing towards the fort,
where the firing was rapidly increasing into a perfect storm.

I heard no more of the cutting; but Denham whispered that his feet were
free, and almost at the same moment a hand felt for my face and then
seized my ear as if to pull it down to the owner of that hand.

Understanding what was wanted, I turned over on my right side and laid
my ear against the opening, listening.

"Don't try to get up," buzzed into it, and seemed to set my brain
whirling. "The Boers are making a great attack on the fort, and you two
must try and creep out while the sentries are listening to the firing.
Can you both run?"

"We could not stand up to save our lives," I whispered. "Our legs are
quite numb and dead."

"Then I must carry you to where father is waiting," was whispered.

I uttered a low sigh of misery, for I knew that was impossible. The
Boers must hear the movements, even if so young a lad as my brother had
possessed sufficient strength.

"Lie still, and sham sleep," was the advice from below. "Your legs will
get better. The Boers won't be back for hours yet. Hark!"

There was no need to speak, for the firing grew louder and louder, as if
echoing from the walls of the fort, not much more than half a mile from
where we lay; and I was thinking that a terrible assault might be made,
when my brother whispered again:

"The Boers mean to take the place to-night. Now, do as I say. Pretend
to sleep. I'm going to fetch father."

He had hardly ceased sp