out further debate the two young men made their way across the
market-square to the wagon where the Boers' dim lantern was swinging,
passing two sentries on the way.

"Not much need for a light," observed Dickenson; "one might smell one's
way to their den. Hang it all! if tobacco's poison those fellows ought
to have been killed long ago."

The cornet was seated on the wagon-box, with his legs inside, talking in
a low tone to his fellows who shared the wagon with him, and so intent
that he did not hear the young officers' approach till Lennox spoke,
when he sprang forward into the wagon, and his companions began to climb
out at the back.

"Why, what's the matter with you?" said Dickenson laughingly as he
stepped up and looked in. "Think some of your friends were coming to
fetch you?"

"You crept up so quietly," grumbled the Boer, recovering himself, and
calling gently to his companions to return.

"Quietly? Of course. You didn't want us to send a trumpeter before us
to say we were coming, did you?"

"H'm! No. What were you doing? Listening to find out whether we were
going to run away?"

"Psh! No!" cried Dickenson. "Here, Mr Lennox wants to say something
to you."

"What about?" said the man huskily.

"I have been thinking that, as you are going on a foraging expedition,"
said Lennox, "you ought to go at once. It's a very dark night, and the
enemy is completely demoralised by to-day's fight."

"Demoralised?" said the Boer.

"Well, scared--beaten--all in disorder."

"Oh," said the Boer, nodding his head like an elephant. "But what
difference does that make?"

"They would not be so likely to notice your wagons going through their
lines."

"Oh?" said the Boer.

"We think it would be a good chance for you."

"Does your general say so?"

"No; our _colonel_ does not know that we have come."

"So! Yes, I see," said the Boer softly.

"We think you ought to take advantage of their disorder and get through
to-night."

"Hah! Yes."

"You have only to go and see what the colonel says."

"Why don't you go?" said the Boer suspiciously.

"Because we think it would be better for you to go."

"And fall into the Boers' hands and be shot?"

"Bother!" cried Dickenson. "Why, you are as suspicious as--as--well, as
some one I know. Now, my good fellow, don't you know that we've eaten
the sheep?"

"Yes, I know that," said the Boer.

"Finished the last side of the last ox?"

"Yes, I know that