or fellow knew nothing about it. Up to that he had borne the
jolting, as he was being carried in Jack's arms, without a murmur, but
when they reached the camp, his arms, which had been round his friend's
neck, relaxed, and he went off into a dead faint. Jack waited long
enough to see his clothes removed and the limb set. Then he went out of
the tent and strolled back towards the quarters he had occupied on the
previous night, leading Prince with him.

"Hi! Somerton!" someone shouted at this moment, "where are you?"

Jack walked towards the sound, and was met by a young officer carrying a
lantern, and at once recognised him as one he had met in the Hussar mess
on the previous night, and who was pointed out to him as being on the
staff.

"I've been sent after you," the officer said, "to ask what has become of
Moller's horse. You and O'Farnel rode out with them, I know, but none
of them has returned up to this, though we heard firing in their
direction. It begins to look nasty. Do you think they have been
trapped?"

"I should not be at all surprised if they have been," Jack answered.
"O'Farnel and I were cut off and surrounded about a mile beyond the
shoulder of the hill, and the remainder of our fellows rode on still
farther. Towards evening I also heard firing right away behind, and
there was more than one gun at work. I fear they have been taken. The
Boer flight was a ruse. They certainly, bolted from the top of Talana
Hill, but once they reached their friends with the guns they must have
rallied. I know we were surrounded by about twenty of them."

"Then they have been taken," exclaimed the young staff-officer with
conviction. "It's bad luck, and just spoils our victory. It was just
like the plucky beggars to ride on when they must have known that hosts
of Boers were near them. But how did you manage to get away, Somerton?
Our friends didn't let you go, I'm sure, and twenty to two, and one of
those two wounded, is precious long odds to fight against."

"Oh, they did their best to bag us!" answered Jack quietly. "But we
played their own particular game. O'Farnel was knocked over and badly
hurt, so I stopped to help him. Then, when the Boers began to fire, I
dragged him behind the stones, built up a kind of fort round us, and
banged at them in return. They told me to surrender, and I advised them
to clear off. Then they made a rush, but that didn't help them, for I
was able to bowl several of th