idences of the foe. Never
before, in the course of two separate campaigns against native troops
officered by Germans, had he known such absolute silence amongst the
black rank and file.

On and on he crawled, grimly soliloquising that much more of this mode
of progression would make him imagine that he was a new type of
serpent, for as he approached the outer fringe of scrub he literally
moved on his stomach.

Proceeding thus he passed between two large thorn bushes. Beyond was a
slight artificial depression in the ground, on the bottom of which were
hundreds of metal cartridge cases.

By the peculiar pungent odour he knew that they had been fired within
the last twelve hours. Some were trodden into the loose earth, which
bore numerous indications of having been trampled both with boots and
bare feet.

"By Jove!" he thought. "Fritz has cleared out."

Even as the idea flashed across his mind a rifle-shot rang out on his
left.

Promptly Wilmshurst flattened himself to the ground, and waited
breathlessly for further developments. The weird silence was
maintained save for the distant croaking of bullfrogs in a marsh.

"Booby trap!" he declared, and cautiously groped around to find out if
he had incautiously touched a fine wire. At a radius of his extended
arm he found nothing of that nature. Perhaps, after all, a sniper was
concealed in the bushes on his left, for the bullet had not been
directed at him.

Bent upon investigating the mystery Wilmshurst crept round the
intervening bushes. Before he had traversed thirty yards his head came
in contact with the stock of a rifle. The weapon was lashed to a
couple of stout bamboos. Fastened to the trigger was a short piece of
wire, to which in turn was tied a length of raw hide. The subaltern
gave a chuckle of satisfaction. His discovery confirmed his surmise
that the investing force had raised the siege, leaving rifles so
arranged that they would fire automatically after various intervals in
order to convey the erroneous impression that the bush was still held
in force.

The raw hide cords had been placed in position during the heat of the
day. After dark the heavy dew moistened the hide and caused it to
contract until the tension upon the trigger was sufficient to release
the bolt action and detonate the cartridges.

A similar ruse, embodying more ingenuity, had been practised by the
British troops during the successful evacuation of the Gallipoli
pen