enemies for British soldiers, with
whom a temporary truce brings them in contact, some amusing stories are
told. One day a field officer of Hussars was in command of cavalry on
outpost, when a Boer travelling-cart, flying the white flag, came
rapidly up to the examining picket, and its only occupant made a cool
request that he should be allowed to enter our camp, in virtue of the
Red Cross badge on his arm, as he wanted an ambulance sent out for some
of our wounded, who had fallen into the enemy's hands. The Boer
emissary was detained at the outposts until his message could be sent to
headquarters and an answer brought back. "As I must wait here an hour,"
said he blandly, "won't you dismount and take a seat beside me under the
shade of the awning?" Military regulations having made no provision for
a refusal in such cases, the Englishman accepted, and the two were
presently carrying on an animated conversation about many subjects not
connected with the siege of Ladysmith. Now, the major has a remarkably
youthful appearance, and when he chooses to assume the devil-may-care
manner of a light-hearted subaltern, it fits him easily. Moreover, his
shoulder-chains bore no distinctive badge of rank. There was nothing, in
fact, to show that he was anything more than a cavalry lieutenant, whom
no sense of responsibility oppressed. So the Boer felt his way quickly
to subjects in which one who serves under the Geneva Convention has no
right to be interested. Answers were given glibly enough, and at the end
of that hour, with profuse assurances of amicable consideration, he
departed, probably laying the flattering unction to his soul that much
valuable information had been unconsciously imparted to him. He did not
know that the free-and-easy young cavalry soldier who talked with such
apparent frankness had learned a staff officer's duties as aide-decamp
to one of our most astutely cautious Generals. This is the story as it
was told to me at second hand, and if only well invented it is too good
to be lost.

Still better is Major King's own narrative, of the adventures that
befell him when, as the bearer of a flag of truce without credentials,
he found himself practically a prisoner among the Boers. He had gone out
to the Boer outposts to make inquiries about another staff affair--the
bearer of a flag of truce whose prolonged absence was causing some
uneasiness, as the message taken by him to General Schalk-Burger did not
demand any an