aside, craned his head and watched as Mathews played a stroke.

"Come here, Fritz," he cried loudly. "Come and see this Uitlander.
See, after all one of these Britishers is some good. Well, there is
room for improvement, but whatever happens they will never make brave
men."

Instantly the whole of the occupants of the room became silent, while
Mathews turned round and faced the Boer.

"You look after your own game, Maartens," he said nervously.

"Thank you, little man, but perhaps I prefer to look on at you," Piet
Maartens answered, while his companion gave vent to a sniggering laugh
which set Jack's pulses thumping.

"Then you'll have to wait a little," cried Mathews angrily. "I'm going
to stay here till you are out of the way."

"Don't get angry, my friend," the Boer answered tauntingly. "Here, this
will cool you." And snatching up a tumbler of iced water which stood on
a table near at hand, he deliberately poured it over Mathews, drenching
him to the skin.

It was a foolish act and a cowardly one, for Mathews was a head and
shoulders shorter than his opponent, and quite incapable of retaliating;
and no doubt Piet Maartens had taken this into consideration. But for
months and months he had indulged in sneering taunts, and no Englishman
had had the temerity to make him answer for them. Not that they always
lacked the courage, but it was not policy to fight with a Boer in the
Transvaal, and thereby have one's business prospects ruined. Piet
Maartens had traded on this, and also on his height and strength.

Having poured the contents of the tumbler over poor Mathews, he and his
companions burst into loud laughter as their victim held his head down
and attempted to shake the water off. But a second later they changed
their tune.

The sight of such an act of bullying had maddened Jack, and noticing a
large glass jug of iced water on another table, he coolly walked over to
it, lifted it by the handle, and having reached Piet Maartens' side,
brought it down with a bang on the top of his head, shivering the glass,
and drenching him thoroughly. It was tit for tat, and at once a roar of
laughter and applause burst from the Englishmen present.

Jack took no notice of it, but stood quietly waiting till Piet had
recovered himself. A second later both Boers rushed at him, and struck
at him with their cues. One he dodged, and at the same time lunged
forward, and struck out so strongly with his fist that Piet'