hem, and knew they were at their proper posts. On going
round sentries about midnight, I was pleased to find that they were
both alert, and that, as it was a cold night, each guard had built a
bonfire, silhouetted in the cheerful blaze of which stood the
sentry--a clear-cut monument to all round that here was a British
sentry fully on the _qui-vive_. After impressing them with their
orders, the extent of their "beat," and the direction of their
"front," etc., I turned in. The fires they had built, besides being a
comfort to themselves, were also useful to me, because twice during
the night when I looked out I could, without leaving my tent, plainly
see them at their posts. I finally fell asleep, and dreamt of being
decorated with a crossbelt made of V.C.'s and D.S.O.'s and of wearing
red tabs all down my back.

* * * * *

I was suddenly awoken, about the grey of dawn, by a hoarse cry--"Halt!
who goes----" cut short by the unmistakable "plip-plop" of a Mauser
rifle. Before I was off my valise, the reports of Mausers rang around
the camp from every side; these, mingled with the smack of the bullets
as they hit the ground and stripped the "zipzip" of the leaden hail
through the tents, and the curses and groans of men who were hit as
they lay or stumbled about trying to get out, made a hellish din.
There was some wild shooting in return from my men, but it was all
over in a moment, and as I managed to wriggle out of my tent the whole
place was swarming with bearded men, shooting into the heaving canvas.
At that moment I must have been clubbed on the head, for I knew no
more until I found myself seated on an empty case having my head,
which was dripping with blood, tied up by one of my men.

* * * * *

Our losses were ten men killed, including both sentries, and
twenty-one wounded; the Boers, one killed and two wounded.

* * * * *

Later on, as, at the order of the not ill-natured but very frowzy Boer
commandant, I was gloomily taking off the saucy warm spotted waistcoat
knitted for me by my sister, I noticed our friends of the previous
evening in very animated and friendly conversation with the burghers,
and "Pappa" was, curiously enough, carrying a rifle and bandolier and
my new field-glasses. He was laughing and pointing towards something
lying on the ground, through which he finally put his foot. This, to
my horror, I reco