in?"

"No," said West quietly. "What's the matter with you? Are you talking
in your sleep? I was afraid to come in, thinking someone was with--"

He got no farther, for Ingleborough clapped a hand over his mouth and
continued.

"Heigho! What bosh one does talk! I wish there wasn't a blessed
diamond in the world!"

He removed his hand, and feeling that there was some reason for all
this, West said quietly: "Why?"

"Why? See what a lot of trouble they cause! This fighting is as much
about the diamond-fields as anything, and--Hullo! how you startled me?"

It was quite true: he was horribly startled, feeling that their plan was
spoiled, for there was a faint sound at the end of the wagon and the
door of a lantern was suddenly opened, throwing the light within, and
giving the prisoners a glance of the sentry's and Anson's faces looking
in.

"All right?" said the sentry, in his own tongue.

"Oh yes, all right!" replied Ingleborough; "but look here: you might as
well leave us that lantern! We won't set fire to the bed-curtains, I
promise you!"

"No," said the Boer, and with a chuckle he closed the door of the
lantern and walked whistling away to his companion.

"Anson!" said West, with his lips close to Ingleborough's ear.

"Yes: the fox! How you startled me! I didn't hear you come! I was
keeping up a sham conversation, for they were stealing down upon us to
catch us on the hop! You failed, then, or were you obliged to turn
back?"

"Neither: I succeeded!"

"What? You got the rifles?"

"Yes."

"Then they must have seen them when the light was thrown in!"

"No," said West quietly; "they are outside, leaning against the near
hind wheel."

"West, lad, this seems too good to be true. How did you manage?"

"Easily enough. I had marked down one wagon--the one I pointed out to
you while it was light--and as soon as I dropped down from here I went
on my hands and knees to crawl towards it. You know what a short
distance it was, and by going very slowly I passed two others where the
Boers were sitting outside talking. This was easy enough, for they were
so much interested in their conversation that they took no notice of any
noise I made."

"And they couldn't see you?"

"I couldn't see them," replied West; "so, of course, they did not see
me."

"Go on."

"I did," said West, "and then I thought it was all over, for the next
wagon faced in another direction, and I saw what I had not seen bef