practising with their new
revolvers one day on the grounds near the rifle butts, where they were
quartered, when the colonel rode by, and stopped to look on.

"I tell you what you should do," he said to them, "you should practise
with the left hand. I have learned to shoot as well with my left hand
as my right, and I believe it saved my life in India during the Mutiny.
It leaves the sword-arm free to ward off a cut or thrust if there are
more than one at you, or you fail to shoot your man dead."

All tried it, but Strachan at least persevered, and it came quite
natural to him after a while to use his left hand for that purpose. Not
only that, but the determination to conquer the awkwardness he felt at
first made him practise pistol shooting much more than he would
otherwise have done, and he became a first-rate shot.

The weapon, however, lay in its leather case at present; he had enough
to do to look after his men, and to catch and repeat the word of command
amidst the din, without thinking of personal combat. He, like Green,
had got an edge put on his sword. It was Kavanagh's present, and during
the lull preceding the attack, he had thought of his old friend,
wondered where he was, and regretted that they were not side by side
that day. He and Harry Forsyth--what fun it would have been! But when
the firing once commenced, he had no thought but of what he was about.

"Fire low, men! Steady! Don't shoot wildly. Harris, cover your man,
just as if he were a target at home."

"Close up, there; never mind Roberts, the ambulance will look to him.
Good man, Gubbins! That's your sort; can't well miss 'em at ten yards.
Aim at the waist-cloth. Cease firing! Advance; _fours left_ there!
Close up."

Orders could not always be heard in the din; it was necessary to watch
the front of the square, and move on or halt as it did, unless a
particular rush at a certain point compelled those at it to take the
initiative, and then others had to conform to it.

When the square got close to the right end of the curved earthwork, the
troops nearest to it charged at it with a cheer, leaving a big gap in
the ranks they left. Had they succeeded in carrying the place with the
rush, this would not have mattered; but it could not be done. Tap a
bee-hive smartly with your stick on a mild May day, and see the
inhabitants swarm out at you, and you may form some idea of how the
Hadendowas flew over the parapet at their assailants.