thousand men, under Sir David Baird, was
at once sent out, and on a sultry January day was marching from
Leopard's Bay, over scrub and veldt, towards Capetown.

All this, however, was undreamt of by honest John Colton as he sat with
his wife on the verandah of his house, watching the antics of a puppy
that was playing with the children in front of them.

Suddenly the man's quick ears caught the sound of horses' hoofs in the
distance. He strained his eyes across the veldt, and, after a minute or
two, could make out a man riding at utmost speed.

'There's something amiss somewhere,' he told his wife; 'maybe some one
is injured, and he is coming here for help.' For accidents from wild
beasts were common in those days, and John had a certain fame as a
binder-up of broken limbs.

Now the rider had come up to the farm, but though he drew up, he did not
dismount. 'You are to be in Capetown market-place, with horse and gun,
by sunset on Thursday,' he said as he handed John an official blue
paper. 'The British have landed, and General Janssens is summoning all
the burghers. There will be a big fight, but we shall drive the
red-coats into the sea.'

[Illustration: "He handed John an official paper."]

The man could not stop for a meal, though he was glad of the refreshment
which Mrs. Colton handed to him in the saddle; and then he rode away as
quickly as he had come, leaving Colton almost dazed by the news.

'The British have landed!' he repeated, looking at his blue paper, 'and
I am to go to Capetown to fight them!'

'Oh, Jan!' said his wife, 'don't let those red-coats shoot you!'

John did not answer. He took down his gun from the wall and looked
gloomily down the barrel; then he threw it on the table, and, looking at
his wife, said sternly, 'I cannot fight against my own countrymen, and I
do not wish to fight against yours.'

'But you are a burgher, Jan,' said his wife, timidly, 'and all the
burghers are summoned.'

I shall go,' said John, shortly. 'I shall give myself up, but I cannot
fight against my own people.'

'Don't go, Jan,' urged his wife. 'Hide yourself in the mountains, they
will never find you there--and I will manage the farm till things are
quiet again, and you can come back.'

'That would be acting as a coward, and I am no coward,' said the man. 'I
must go to Capetown, but what may be done to me there I cannot say. It
is a puzzling piece of business! I never thought to see the British here
again