emain silent, we may be able to rescue them."

Jack gripped his friend by the arm and whispered the words into his ear,
for the excitement of seeing his father had proved almost too much for
Guy, and he was on the point of rushing from the cupboard.

But Jack's commanding tones stopped him, and a moment later he was calm
again.

"Prisoners, you are brought before me for refusing to fight for the
cause," the general now began. "You are burghers of the Republic, and
have disobeyed the call of your country. What have you to say?"

Jack and Guy listened attentively, and then looked across at the
prisoners. Both were absolutely calm, and stood there, in front of the
table, with an air of stubborn determination and courage which showed
that, come what might, their minds were made up on one subject.

"We are burghers of the Transvaal, it is true, general," Mr Hunter
answered in a firm voice, "and we are ready to do our duty by that
Republic at any time but this. Against the natives, or the Portuguese,
or even your own kith and kin, the men from the Orange Free State, we
were prepared to fight, but when you tell us to bear arms against our
own flesh and blood we refuse to obey you at all costs."

"Yes, and I'll go one further," burst in Guy's father impetuously, and
with a total disregard for the consequences; "if we had been able we
would have joined our comrades, the English troops, and fought there in
their ranks against you."

"You are a bold, but a foolish man," the general answered, laying down
his knife and fork with which he had been busy. "I will give you both
another chance. Will you go to the trenches and do your duty like men?"

"We have already refused," Mr Hunter replied shortly. "Is that not
enough?"

"Very well, then, you shall be put there by force," the general
exclaimed harshly. Then, turning to the Boer in command of the guard
over the prisoners, he said: "Remove these men, and take them straight
to the gun hill nearest to the English camp, and tie them there to the
wheels of the gun. That shall be their punishment. They will not fire
on the Rooineks, but the Rooineks shall fire at them. It is a fitting
reward. Perhaps, my friends, if you live through to-morrow you will be
glad to change your minds. Believe me, it is far pleasanter to lie
behind a rock and pick off the foe than to be tied up in the open and
exposed to the lyddite shells which your barbarous British gunners
employ."