truckage
had been ordered to convey them back to the Orange River Colony. They
accepted this rumour as a breach of faith, and feeling ran high in the
contingent--ran so high that it overlapped and swamped the tiny pillar
of discipline which thirteen months of campaigning had built into the
constitution of the corps. The climax was reached on the morning of
the concentration at Orange River Station. The colonel commanding the
over-sea Colonials stood chatting with our brigadier. We were waiting
for the shoddy platform buffet to open its hospitable doors, when
suddenly we were aware of the whole of the Colonial contingent
marching in correct files on to the platform. A full private was in
command. He issued his orders clearly. "Halt!"--"Pile arms!"--"Stand
clear!"--"Fall out!" And then a deputation of three advanced towards
us. They saluted their colonel with all military punctiliousness, and
stood as stiffly to attention as is possible with the irregular.

_Colonial Colonel._ "What does this mean, men?"

_Spokesman._ "If you please, sir, we have mutinied" (_the supporting
deputation gravely nodded their assent_).

_C. C._ "The devil you have!--but do you realise what it means when
you mutiny on active service?"

_S._ "Well, you see, sir, it is putting it rather strongly, perhaps,
to say that we _have_ mutinied. But you see, sir, our time is up, and
we have determined not to go on the trek any more. Our last trek was a
favour. We were promised that we should be sent home the next time we
struck the railway, and we hold by this promise."

_C. C._ "Men, don't be fools. Go back to your camp. You have no need
to believe that faith will be broken with you. But think of the
example you are setting to the rest of the troops here! Think of what
the people at home will say! You don't realise what you are liable to
for mutiny."

_S._ "Well, sir, we don't exactly mean this as mutiny. This is just a
protest against being kept out here against our will and agreement.
You will accept it, sir, in the spirit that it is given--a protest,
sir!"

_C. C._ "Very good. Go back to your lines!"

The deputation saluted, returned to the fallen-out contingent, which
gravely unpiled its arms and marched back to its lines, amid a little
desultory cheering from some few by-standers who realised what was
taking place.

The brigadier turned to the Colonial colonel and said, "Well, that is
the quaintest attitude that I have ever seen taken up