d,
rocky mountain, and about a mile to the northeast appeared the usual
sugar-loaf kopje, covered with bushes and boulders--steep on the
south, but gently falling to the north; this had a farm on the near
side of it. About a thousand yards south of the drift was a convex and
smooth hill, somewhat like an inverted basin, sparsely sown with small
boulders, and with a Kaffir kraal, consisting of a few grass and mud
huts on top. Between the river and the hills on the north the ground
consisted of open and almost level veldt; on the south bank the veldt
was more undulating, and equally open. The whole place was covered
with ant-hills.

My orders were--to hold Duffer's Drift at all costs. That I should
probably be visited by some column within three or four days' time.
That I might possibly be attacked before that time, but that this was
very unlikely, as no enemy were known to be within a hundred miles.
That the enemy had guns.

It all seemed plain enough except that the true inwardness of the last
piece of information did not strike me at the time. Though in company
with fifty "good men and true," it certainly made me feel somewhat
lonely and marooned to be left out there comparatively alone on the
boundless veldt; but the chance of an attack filled me, and, I am
quite sure, my men with martial ardor; and at last here was the chance
I had so often longed for. This was my first "show," my first
independent command, and I was determined to carry out my orders to
the bitter end. I was young and inexperienced, it is true, but I had
passed all my examinations with fair success; my men were a good
willing lot, with the traditions of a glorious regiment to uphold, and
would, I knew, do all I should require of them. We were also well
supplied with ammunition and rations; and had a number of picks,
shovels and sandbags, etc., which I confess had been rather forced on
me.

As I turned towards my gallant little detachment, visions of a bloody
and desperate fight crossed my mind--a fight to the last cartridge,
and then an appeal to cold steel, with ultimate victory--and---- But
a discreet cough at my elbow brought me back to realities, and warned
me that my color-sergeant was waiting for orders.

After a moment's consideration, I decided to pitch my small camp on a
spot just south of the drift, because it was slightly rising ground,
which I knew should be chosen for a camp whenever possible. It was,
moreover, quite close to the d