er State occasions.

"Now, Jantje," he said, when he had bent on the bunting, "run her up,
and I'll cheer!" and accordingly, as the broad flag floated out on the
breeze, he took off his hat and waved it, and gave such a "hip, hip,
hoorah!" in his stentorian tones that Bessie ran out from the house to
see what was the matter. Nor was he satisfied with this, but, having
obtained a ladder, he placed it against the post and sent Jantje up
it, instructing him to fasten the rope on which the flag was bent at a
height of about fifteen feet from the ground, so that nobody should get
at it to haul it down.

"There," he said, "I've nailed my colours to the mast. That will show
these gentry that an Englishman lives here.

"Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
God save the Queen."

"Amen," said Bessie, but she had her doubts about the wisdom of that
Union Jack, which, whenever the wind blew, streamed out, a visible
defiance not calculated to soothe the breasts of excited patriots.

Indeed, two days after that, a patrol of three Boers, spying the ensign
whilst yet a long way off, galloped up in hot haste to see what it
meant. Silas saw them coming, and, taking his rifle in his hand, went
and stood beneath the flag, for which he had an almost superstitious
veneration, feeling sure that they would not dare to meddle either with
him or it.

"What is the meaning of this, _Oom_ Silas?" asked the leader of the
three men, with all of whom he was perfectly acquainted.

"It means that an Englishman lives here, Jan," was the answer.

"Haul the dirty rag down!" said the man.

"I will see you damned first!" replied old Silas.

Thereon the Boer dismounted and made for the flagstaff, only to find
"Uncle Croft's" rifle in a direct line with his chest.

"You will have to shoot me first, Jan," he said, and thereon, after some
consultation, they left him and went away.

In truth, his British nationality notwithstanding, Silas Croft was
very popular with the Boers, most of whom had known him since they were
children, and to whose _Volksraad_ he had twice been elected. It was to
this personal popularity he owed the fact that he was not turned out of
his house, and forced to choose between serving against his countrymen
or being imprisoned and otherwise maltreated at the very commencement of
the rebellion.

For a fortnight or more after this flag episode nothing of any
importance happened, and then cam