laager, and given in charge of an
armed sentry.

Ten days passed quietly, and during that time he was well treated, and
was on good terms with his captors. On the 14th of the month there was
a sudden stir in the camp, and mounted men galloped in and out.

"What is the matter?" Jack asked the young sentry who was in charge of
him.

"Our scouts say that your countrymen are moving," the Boer replied.
"General French--that is what you call him, I think,--has been active.
He and a lot of English guns and horsemen marched on Sunday to Ramdan,
and next day pushed on to the Riet river. There was a fight, and we
gave way, as it is not policy to prevent a foolish man running his nose
into a trap. I hear he is now at the Rondeval Drift, on the Modder
River, where we are again playing with him. Some fools here say he
threatens our flank, but our general knows better. You will see, we
shall eat up your general, and then we shall march south to Cape Town."

Jack did not correct him, but smiled secretly, hoping and believing that
the big movement of which he had carried the first tidings to Kimberley
and Mafeking was at last actually begun. He knew that for more than a
month much work had been going on in the British camp, and if the news
he had just learnt were really true, it was extremely probable that
Roberts and his troops were about to strike that blow at the Boer forces
which should mean the turning of the tide, and a full compensation for
all the care and thought taken in making their preparations.

On the following morning a wild-looking Boer galloped up to General
Cronje, who was sitting smoking and sipping coffee outside his tent, and
in an excited voice informed him that the British had crossed the Modder
and had captured five laagers, full of stores, 2000 sheep, and a large
number of cattle.

Jack happened to be near the general at the time, and his guard, who was
a friendly young Boer, interpreted what was said.

At first the news evidently caused the general some excitement, and he
rose to his feet and walked restlessly up and down. Then he suddenly
sat down, lit his pipe again, and smiled sourly.

"Let them take the laagers," he said in a rasping voice. "What does it
matter? We shall take them back again. These Englishmen are brave, but
they are fools, and have no cunning. You shall see. We will turn on
him and eat up completely this General French and his men."

Three other Boer leaders were sta