died away. The only difficulty then left was about the
Boers' stay.

"If we go back they'll shoot us," he said to the colonel. "We've
brought you the provisions you asked for, and when you've eaten all
you'll want more, and we'll go and fetch everything; but you must have
us here now."

"My good sir," said the colonel, to the intense amusement of the
officers assembled, who enjoyed seeing their chief, as they termed him,
in a corner, "I have enough mouths to feed here; you must go back to the
peaceable among your own people."

"Peaceable? There are none peaceable now. Look here: do you want to
send us back to fight against you?" cried the Boer cornet indignantly.

"Certainly not," said the colonel; "and I would not advise you to, for
your own sake."

"Then what are we to do? We got away with these loads of mealies, but
it will be known to-morrow. We can't go back, and it's all your doing."

"Well, I confess that it is hard upon you," said the colonel; "but, as I
have told you, I am not going to take the responsibility of feeding more
mouths."

"But we've just brought you plenty."

"Which will soon be gone," cried the colonel.

"Oh, that's nothing," said the Boer, with a grin full of cunning; "we
know where to get plenty more."

The colonel turned and looked at the major, who returned the look with
interest, for these last words opened up plenty of possibilities for
disposing of a terrible difficulty in the matter of supplies.

"I don't much like the idea, major," he said in a low tone.

"No; couldn't trust the fellow," was the reply. "May be a ruse."

"At the same time it may be simple fact," continued the colonel. "Of
course he would be well aware of the whereabouts of stores, for the
enemy always seem to have abundance. But no; it would be too great a
risk."

"All the same, though," said the major, who afterwards confessed to
visions of steaks and roast mutton floating before his mind, "the fellow
would be forced to be honest with us, for he would be holding his life
by a very thin thread."

"Exactly," said the colonel eagerly. "We could let him know that at the
slightest suggestion of treachery we should shoot him and his companions
without mercy."

"Make him understand that," said the major; and while the Boer party
stood waiting and watching by the two wagons, which had been drawn into
the square, a little council of war was held by the senior officers, in
which the pros and cons were