heir word," grumbled the major.

"Of course; after what has passed we can't trust them a bit. But we
can't keep them here an hour; half-an-hour is too much. They will see
far more of our weakness and the state of our defences in five minutes
than I like."

He turned to the heavy, big-bearded man who seemed to be the leader, and
asked if he would take the oath not to fight against the Queen again.

The man started and looked relieved, for he grasped all that was said to
him--words which came while he was still in doubt as to what their fate
was to be, his ideas tending towards a volley of rifles fired at ten
paces.

The next minute he was interpreting the colonel's words to his comrades
in misfortune, and with a meaning smile each man willingly made the
promise in Dutch that he would take no further part in the war.

"Look here," said the colonel to their leader; "make them fully
understand that if they are again taken in arms against the Queen--"

"They have no Queen," said the Boer leader surlily. "This is the
Transvaal Republic."

"Indeed!" said the colonel sternly. "This is not the Transvaal
Republic, but a part of the British Dominions now; and remember that you
all owe allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen-Empress, whose laws you have
now sworn to obey."

The man scowled.

"And if, as I was telling you, any of you are again found fighting
against our troops, you will not be treated as people at war against us,
but as rebels liable to be tried by a short drum-head court-martial, and
shot out of hand. Do you understand?"

The man nodded.

"Make your companions fully understand it too."

The Boer leader hesitated as if about to speak, but the colonel turned
upon him sharply.

"Quick, sir," he cried; "I have no time to waste. Tell your companions
this, so that there may be no mistake."

The man stepped back, and his followers pressed round him talking
eagerly, several of them understanding English to some extent, and for a
few minutes they conversed together excitedly, till, with a shrug of the
shoulders, the principal Boer turned and advanced to the colonel.

"Well," said the latter, "do they fully grasp all this?"

"Oh yes; they know," replied the man sourly.

"That will do, then," said the colonel. "No; stop. You are no longer
our enemies, and we have treated you well; henceforth act as friends.
Go back to your farms, and collect and bring here corn, oxen, and sheep,
as much as you like,