has been attempted to enshroud them. If any
should think the few criticisms which have crept into the text unjust,
will they bear in mind that the regimental officer has suffered, in
silence, much for the sins of others. It is the author's conviction
that cases were rare when the ship did not sail true enough: in the
beginning she may have badly wanted cleaning below the water line, but
she never failed to answer her helm. It was more often the man at the
helm than the sailing quality of the vessel that was at fault, and the
marvel is that she was of sufficiently tough construction to be able
to stand the stress incurred by indifferent seamanship.

CONTENTS.

PAGE
I. THE BIRTH OF THE BRIGADE 1

II. THE MEET! 15

III. BEE-LINE TO BRITSTOWN 45

IV. THE FIRST CHECK 75

V. A NEW CAST 103

VI. A POOR SCENT 133

VII. "POTTERING" 155

VIII. STILL POTTERING 184

IX. TO A NEW COVERT! 214

X. JOG-TROT 246

XI. FULL CRY 292

L'ENVOI 344

ON THE HEELS OF DE WET.

I.

THE BIRTH OF THE BRIGADE.

"De Aar," and the Africander guard flung himself out of his brake-van.

De Aar! After forty-eight hours of semi-starvation in a brake-van, the
name of the junction, in spite of the ill-natured tones which gave
voice to it, sounded sweeter than the chimes of bells. It meant relief
from confinement in a few square feet of board; relief from a
semi-putrid atmosphere--oil, unwashed men, and stale tobacco-smoke;
relief from the delicate attentions of a surly Africander guard, who
resented the overcrowding of his van; relief from the pangs of
hunger; relief from the indescribable punishments of thirst.

Yet at its best De Aar is a miserable place. Not made--only thrown at
the hillside, and allowed by negligence and indifference to slip into
the nearest hollow. Too far from the truncated kopjes to reap any
benefit from them. Close enough to feel the radiation of a
sledge-hammer sun f