together excitedly. "Jump in. Hurrah!"

As the doctor had spoken we noticed Joeboy's black face, with gleaming
eyes and grinning mouth, rising above the big box at the end of the
wagon. He wanted no further orders, but swung himself in lightly.

"Um?" he exclaimed. "Boss Val, Boss Denham right?"

"Yes," I cried, holding out my hand, which he took. "Joeboy, you
frightened me; I thought you were killed."

"Um? Joeboy killed? What for? Been look all among the dead ones and
broken ones; um dead quite."

"Who's dead?" I cried.

"Um? Ugly white boss captain, Irish boss Boer. Joeboy meant to kill
um, but um run away too."

"That will do," said the doctor. "Just listen to my orders before I go
off to the poor fellows waiting for me. You two are not to set foot to
the ground. Promise me. I'll let you keep that black fellow to lift
you about. He will do so, I suppose?" he added, turning to me.

"He will. He'd be only too glad."

The doctor rose, nodded, and went away; and soon after we had visits
from the colonels of both the regiments, and from the young captain who
had saved us from the zeal of his men, all these visitors congratulating
us warmly upon our escape, and praising Joeboy for his bravery.

That afternoon we were on the march in what Denham called our
peripatetic hospital; but he was not happy. Pain and disappointment
seemed always uppermost in spite of the friendly attentions we received
from his brother-officers.

"Yes, it's all very good of you," he said sadly; "but fancy being laid
aside now, after the Boers have been thrashed and there's nothing to do
but give them the finishing-cuts to make them behave better in the
future."

As days glided by, Denham, to his surprise, learned that there was no
more fighting to do.

First of all, our little forces of the Light Horse and the infantry were
depressed by the news that the General, with the main body, had met with
a terrible reverse from the Boers, whose peculiar way of fighting had
stood them in good stead and made up for the qualities they lacked.

Thus the making of history rolled on; and, to the rage and indignation
of the fighting-men, the order went forth that there was to be peace;
that the troops were to be withdrawn, volunteers disbanded, and
everything settled by diplomacy and treaty. I need not go into that
matter; my father only shook his head and said that such an arrangement
could never mean lasting peace.

"I'm gla