und up and disarm the prisoners
Wilmshurst hurried his men to the storming of the kopje.

On all sides the Waffs were climbing the slopes, yelling and cheering
vociferously, but not an answering shout came from the rocky summit.
It required enormous restraint on the part of the foe to withhold their
fire, while already the Haussas had passed the zone where a volley at
comparatively short range would have played havoc with them.

The silence on the part of the enemy seemed incomprehensible unless,
not having sufficient numbers to hold the edges of the flat-topped hill
they had concentrated at one spot, where with machine-guns they could
rake the skyline as the Waffs breasted the top.

Over the position the exultant troops poured, the one fly in the
ointment being the fact that their rush had met with no resistance. In
extended order they re-formed and dashed across the plateau--a rapidly
contracting line of khaki tipped with steel.

Almost in the centre of the top of the kopje was an irregular mound of
piled rocks and earth. Towards this the Waffs charged, their officers
momentarily expecting the rattle of musketry and the tic-tac of
machine-guns.

Without resistance the Waffs bore on, overran the supposed earthworks
and found--nothing.

There were not even traces of Hun occupation. The enemy had got clear
away with the exception of the small post rushed by Wilmshurst's
platoon. By an evident error of judgment on the part of MacGregor--a
non-existent position had been the object of the column's attention,
and although the operations were not entirely futile officers and men
realised that they had experienced a great disappointment.

Descending the kopje the Waffs fell in, having secured their prisoners
under a strong escort. The order to march was about to be given when
the distant rattle of musketry was distinctly heard.

The colonel looked at the senior major enquiringly.

"A raiding crush, sir," replied the latter to the unspoken question.
"While we've been on a wild goose chase Fritz is raiding our camp."

CHAPTER VI

THE WARNING SHOT

Nobly the sorely-tried Waffs rose to the occasion. Notwithstanding
their arduous advance and its meagre results they eagerly hastened to
meet the new danger, knowing that with the destruction of their baggage
and transport and their lines of communication cut they would be in a
serious position in the almost waterless scrub.

They required little urging, the