"Will you do me a favour?" said Jess, catching the pony by the bridle.

"What is it? What is it, missie? I must be getting on. That devil of a
man, Frank Muller, is waiting for me with the prisoners at the Rooihuis
Kraal."

"I want a pass for myself and Captain Niel, and an escort. We wish to go
home."

The old Boer held up his fat hands in amazement.

"Almighty!" he said, "it is impossible. A pass!--who ever heard of such
a thing? Come, I must be going."

"It is not impossible, Uncle Coetzee, as you know," said Jess. "Listen!
If I get that pass I will speak to my uncle about the five hundred
pounds. Perhaps he would not want it all back again."

"Ah!" said the Boer. "Well, we are old friends, missie, and 'never
desert a friend,' that is my saying. Almighty! I must ride a hundred
miles--I will swim through blood for a friend. Well, well, I must see.
It depends upon that devil of a man, Frank Muller. Where are you to be
found--in the white house yonder? Good. To-morrow the escort will come
in with the prisoners, and if I can get it they will bring the pass.
But, missie, remember the five hundred pounds. If you do not speak to
your uncle about that I shall be even with him. Almighty! what a thing
it is to have a good heart, and to love to help your friends! Well,
good-day, good-day," and off he cantered on his fat pony, his broad face
shining with a look of unutterable benevolence.

Jess cast a look of contempt after him, and then went on towards the
camp to fetch the rations.

When she returned to "The Palatial," she told John what had taken
place, and suggested that it would be as well, in case there should be
a favourable reply to her request, to have everything prepared for a
start. Accordingly, the cart was brought down and stood outside "The
Palatial," where John unscrewed the patent caps and filled them with
castor-oil, and ordered Mouti to keep the horses, which were all in
health, though "poor" from want of proper food, well within hail.

Meanwhile, old Hans pursued the jerky tenour of his way for an hour or
so, till he came in sight of a small red house.

Presently, from the shadow in front of the red house emerged a rider,
mounted on a powerful black horse. The horseman--a stern, handsome,
bearded man--put his hand above his eyes to shade them from the sun, and
gazed up the road. Then he seemed suddenly to strike his spurs into the
horse, for the animal bounded forward swiftly, and came sweeping to