to see if you can make
anything out. I don't know, though; it may be as you say, and if it
is--"

"We ought to bring in that gun," whispered Lennox.

"Yes, at all hazards. I don't know, though. There, take
five-and-twenty of the lads, and act as seems best. If you can do it
easily, force the drivers to come on, but don't run risks. If the Boers
are in strength fall back at once. You understand?"

"Quite," said Lennox softly.

"Let me go with him, Roby?"

"No; I can't spare you."

"Yes, do; I can help him."

"He can do what there is to do himself, and would rather be alone, for
it is only a reconnaissance."

"I should like him with me," said Lennox quietly, and he felt his arm
nipped.

"Very well; but don't waste time. I can hear it quite plainly now.
Mind, fall back at once if they are in force. I'll be well on the alert
to cover you and your party."

The requisite number of men were soon under the young officer's orders,
and they followed him softly down the rock-encumbered slope of the
natural fortress--no easy task in the darkness; but the men were getting
used to the gloom, and it was not long before the party was challenged
by an outpost and received the word. They passed on, getting well round
to the farther side of the kopje before they were challenged again.

"Glad you've come, sir," said the sentry; "I was just going to fire."

"Why?" asked Lennox softly.

"I can hear something coming out yonder in the darkness. You listen,
sir. It's like a heavy wagon."

The man spoke in a whisper; then for some moments all was perfectly
still.

"Can't hear it now, sir," whispered the sentry; "but I felt sure I heard
something."

"Wait again," said Lennox softly; and there was a good five minutes'
interval of waiting, but not a sound could be heard.

"Let's go forward, Bob," whispered Lennox; and after telling the sentry
to be well upon the alert, he led his men slowly and cautiously straight
away out into the black darkness of the veldt, but without hearing
another sound till they were, as far as could be judged, a good two
hundred yards from the last outpost, when the men were halted and stood
in the black darkness listening once more, before swinging: round to the
right and getting back by a curve to somewhere near the starting-place.

The next moment the young men joined hands and stood listening to an
unmistakable sound away to their right and nearer to the kopje. The
sound was distant