olness and energy for the next half hour--after that,
things wouldn't much matter either way. The horses were picketed
inside, and outside the defences a large enclosure had been hastily
constructed of thorn bushes, and into this the trek oxen were driven at
night, making quite a respectable herd. Three sides of this kraal were
well covered by the fire of the defenders, but the fourth, of course,
was not. Losing no time after their first repulse the assailants had,
with incredible rapidity, breached this fence and were driving out the
whole herd. But not as spoil--no not yet. For them they had another
purpose, and grasping its import the defenders realised what new peril
threatened.

Away up the valley the oxen had been driven by a number told off for the
purpose, and now they were returning. By this time the animals were
becoming uneasy and excited--tossing their heads and throwing up their
tails, and bellowing wildly as they ran.

"Here, Prior. Is there any paraffin about, or kerosene?" asked Hyland
eagerly. "Because I have an idea. Only--sharp's the word."

"Yes. Come along."

They went into the store and in a second Hyland had got off the head of
a paraffin tin. There were some old sacks in the corner. Seizing one
of these he quickly deluged it with the liquid. He rolled his eyes
around impatiently.

"A pole--Prior, damn it! I must have a pole of some sort."

"Here you are," dragging one out from under some rubbish. It was an old
pole which had been used for hoisting a flag on occasions of national
festivity. Hyland seized a chopper, and having split the thinner end of
the pole, inserted the paraffin-soaked sacking in such wise that it
should be held gripped within the cleft. Then they went out.

"Now you fellows," he cried. "They're going to drive the oxen bang over
us and rush us under cover of them, and I'm going to _split the herd_.
Cover me well when I skip back, but don't shoot wild."

A hurried murmur of applause. It was a feat whose daring was about
equalled by the quickness of resource which had devised the plan.

The oxen were coming on now at a canter, about a hundred all told. The
impi had thrown out `horns' so that the terrified animals, beset by a
leaping, yelling crowd on either side, had no option other than to rush
blindly ahead.

Hyland Thornhill leaped over the breastwork, armed with his impromptu
torch. Carefully avoiding the wires, he advanced about fifty yards an