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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..486d259 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #68999 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/68999) diff --git a/old/68999-0.txt b/old/68999-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 855b0ee..0000000 --- a/old/68999-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5148 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The kopje farm, by William Johnston - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The kopje farm - -Author: William Johnston - -Release Date: September 16, 2022 [eBook #68999] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Al Haines - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE KOPJE FARM *** - - - - - - - -[Illustration: Cover art] - - - -[Frontispiece: "Sir! you are ambushed!"] - - - -THE KOPJE FARM - -By William Johnston - -Author of "Tom Graham, V.C.," "With the Rhodesian Horse," etc. - - - -With - -Coloured Illustrations - -by - -Lancelot Speed - - - -COLLINS' CLEAR-TYPE PRESS - -LONDON, GLASGOW, AND NEW YORK - - - - - CONTENTS - - CHAP. - - I. JACK LOVAT - II. A BOER LAAGER - III. FRINGED WITH FIRE - IV. MR. LOVAT'S ADVENTURE - V. DIAMOND VALLEY - VI. A CAPE REBEL - VII. A WEIRD ADVENTURE - VIII. THE AMBUSH - IX. THE RESCUE - X. THE FARM RECAPTURED - XI. DIAMONDS GALORE - - - - -THE KOPJE FARM - - - -CHAPTER I - -JACK LOVAT - -Those stirring times are days of the past, and the unsheathed sword -has given place to the ploughshare, but weird pictures of bloodshed -among man and beast are indelibly impressed on Jack Lovat's brain, -and his dreams of to-day are often linked with the scenes enacted -during the "White Men's War" beneath the glittering Southern Cross. - -Jack Lovat was not a Colonial bred and born, for his boyhood had been -passed amid the peaceful surroundings of a Highland sheep farm in -dear old Scotland. Mr. Lovat, Jack's father, had been a laird of -substantial means, and was descended from a line of ancestors in -whose veins coursed a strain of royal blood; but bad times came, and -Jack, instead of proceeding to Loretto, took passage as a member of -the Lovat family, in a Castle liner bound for Cape Town. - -Jack was seventeen at the time our story opens. Rather above the -middle height, he was broad, and his bronzed features testified to -his three years' sojourn on the South African veldt. - -The Kaffirs on his father's ostrich farm, near Orangefontein, had -dubbed him "The Strong-armed Baas," only a month later than his -advent to the holding locally known as "The Kopje Farm." - -Pete, the Kaffir who acted as native foreman to Mr. Lovat, declared -that "Baas Jack" could fell the biggest ox ever inspanned in a Cape -waggon, which of course was an exaggeration of a very bad type, but -to which statement Pete and the other "boys" employed on the estate -pinned implicit faith. - -The dogs of war had been let loose in South Africa, but Orangefontein -had not been troubled as yet. Ladysmith, Kimberley, and gallant -little tin-roofed Mafeking had been besieged and relieved, but round -the homes of the settlers near Ookiep and Orangefontein tranquillity -reigned. - -On the outbreak of hostilities, Jack Lovat had begged his father to -allow him to join a Colonial mounted corps, but Mr. Lovat withheld -his permission. - -"No, boy," said the ostrich farmer; "we will defend our home to the -last, and I can't spare you; so say no more about it. It will be -quite time for us to take up arms when the Boers come round here." -So Jack, with a somewhat bad grace, had to rest content, and busy -himself with attending to the ostriches and the big fruit farm on the -bank of the Zak River. - -One afternoon during the African winter, Jack and Pete were engaged -in rounding up the ostriches. Mr. Lovat had left early in the -morning for Springbokfontein. He had driven over to the town in a -light Cape cart, in whose shafts was Bessie--a favourite mare, foaled -on the farm, and belonging to Mary Lovat, Jack's sister. - -Bessie was known to be the fastest roadster in the district, and was -as playful as a kitten, and never was a horse better loved than was -Bessie by Mary Lovat. - -The ostrich farmer had promised Mrs. Lovat that he would be home soon -after midday, and it was now four hours past that time; so Jack was -naturally anxious. - -In a cowhide portmanteau Mr. Lovat had taken five hundred sovereigns, -intended for deposit in Springbokfontein Bank. The town guard in -Springbokfontein was exceptionally strong, and Mr. Lovat, after much -discussion with his wife and Jack, had decided to deposit the gold -for safe keeping in the bank, instead of, as Mrs. Lovat at first -suggested, hiding it in some carefully marked spot on the kopje, in -case of the advent of the Boers. - -The ostriches having been penned up in Cromarty Kraal--so called from -his mother's maiden name--Jack turned to Pete and said, "My father is -late. I hope he is all right." - -"De baas will come in his own good time," observed Pete; "he will be -able to take good care ob himself. Dere be no Boers about here." - -"I should like to see some of them come," said Jack, with a laugh. -"I think we could give a good account of them. Let me see," and the -young settler began to count on his fingers; "there's you, Pete, and -Saul, Moses, Jethro, Simon, Zacchary, Daniel, Obadiah, and I must not -forget Pat, besides my father and self. That makes eleven, doesn't -it? With the rifles and ammunition we got from Port Nolloth, and -inside our strong walls, we could keep a commando at bay." - -Jack's enthusiasm began to rise, and he went on: "I hope some of the -beggars do come down upon us. I want to try my rifle upon something -better than springbok and hartebeeste. What say you, Pete?" - -A broad grin spread over the Kaffir's face, as he replied, "I dunno, -Baas Jack. I no want a Mauser bullet through my skin. All de same, -baas, if de time eber comes, Pete will be found ready to lay down his -life for de baas, missis, little missie, an' you." - -"Bravo, Pete! spoken like a man!" cried Jack, who nearly so far -forgot himself as to shake hands with the Kaffir. "And now, Pete, -let us go round and see what the boys are doing." - -Kopje Farm well deserved its appellation, for it stood on the middle -spur of a high, flat-topped range of hills. The building had been -erected many years before by a Dutch settler, when trouble was rife -with the Bantus, and its thick stone walls, loopholed here and there, -gave it the appearance of a fort. Around the dwelling-house ran a -wall of stone, some six feet in height and correspondingly thick, -which had continuations to the ostrich kraal, where the birds were -penned at night. - -Jack found that the "boys" had finished their task of fastening up -the ostriches committed to their charge, and were standing in a -group, chattering in their guttural Kaffir tongue. A few yards away -was Pat O'Neill, an Irishman hailing from the wilds of Connaught, who -had followed the fortunes of the Lovat family as general factotum -from the day the Scotch laird had landed in the colony. - -Jack's quick eye glanced at the Kaffirs, after which he strode -towards the place where Pat was standing contemplatively smoking a -short black duddeen. Pat on seeing his young master approach, came -instantly to the salute; for the Connemara man, twenty years before, -had formed one of the glorious defenders of Rorke's Drift. - -"Where is Saul?" inquired Jack of the Irishman. - -"He has gone on an errand for the mistress, sorr," answered Pat. -"One of Master Butler's children down the valley is laid up wid -fever, an' the mistress, who is good to every one, has sent some -cooling medicine for the poor thing, which will do it good, please -God. Has the master returned from Springbokfontein?" - -"He has not arrived yet, Pat," answered Jack. - -"Then I shall be mighty glad when I see him," observed the Irishman. - -"Things are all right, Pat," said Jack, forcing a laugh. - -"They may be, and may not be, sorr," remarked Pat. "Zacchary has -just told me that a commando of Boers under the daring leader, -Christian Uys, is trekking this way. The last time the Boers were -heard of they were in the Upper Zak River district. How in the world -these niggers get news, sorr, is more than Pat O'Neill, late corporal -in the ould 24th Regiment, can understand. Shall I saddle up and go -to meet the master, sorr?" - -"Not a bad idea, Pat. Just wait a moment until I see mother;" and -Jack went inside the farmhouse, where he found Mrs. Lovat peering -through a window at the long winding road leading down the valley -towards Springbokfontein. - -Hearing footsteps, Mrs. Lovat turned round, and seeing Jack, said, -"I'm dreadfully anxious about your father, Jack. I cannot understand -why he has not returned. It is so unlike him to disappoint me." - -"He'll be all right, mother," observed Jack cheerfully. "Very -probably he has met some one he has not seen for a time. He is sure -to be here before nightfall. Did he take any lamps? I was busy -branding an ostrich when he went away." - -"Yes, he trimmed the lamps and put them on before he set out," -answered Mrs. Lovat. "I was rather surprised, as I thought he would -not need them." - -"These South African roads are not good, and people are delayed -sometimes," said Jack. "Pat is going down the road to meet him, so -cheer up, mother. Where is Mary?" - -"She has a bad headache, Jack, and is lying down on the couch in the -dining-room," replied Mrs. Lovat. "I do wish this time of dreadful -uncertainty was over. It seems to be wearing my life out." - -"I should like to take part in the war, mother," said Jack. "I -sometimes get tired of the humdrum life we lead. Why didn't dad -allow me to join the Scouts Mr. Driscoll raised when the war broke -out? I can fight as well as any man, and I know I can shoot -straight." - -"Jack!" - -"I did not mean to hurt your feelings, mother; but if any Boers come -here to harm you or Mary, they will have a bad time of it, so long as -I can stand on my feet or hold a rifle." - -Tears came into gentle Mrs. Lovat's eyes, as she replied, "The war -spirit is a dreadful thing, Jack. It seems a crime in this twentieth -century for men to be so anxious to imbrue their hands in their -fellow-creatures' blood. I am always saying, 'Lord! how long?'" - -"Well, all I can say, mother, is that if any Boers try to take Kopje -Farm, while I can handle my rifle, they will stand a chance of being -winged for their pains," observed Jack. "No Boers come here unless I -am disabled and can't stop them. I am going now to tell Pat to -saddle up and give a look-out for dad;" and saying this, he strode -out of the apartment and walked to where Pat was still standing -staring at the road leading to Springbokfontein. - -"Pat!" - -"Yes, sorr," answered the Irishman, coming to attention; "I'm at your -service, sorr." - -"Put the saddle on Cawdor and gallop down the road. If you should -happen to meet father, you need not say that I sent you. You -understand?" - -"I know your meaning perfectly well, sorr," replied Pat; and the -honest fellow walked to the stables, where he saddled Cawdor, a -beautiful Arab, which Mr. Lovat had purchased at Worcester a year -before, while on his ostrich-selling peregrinations. - -Jack looked attentively at Pat's preparations. The Irishman spent -some time in examining the saddlery, paying special attention to the -girths, and being apparently satisfied with his inspection, he -mounted. - -"You have forgotten your rifle," said Jack. "You had better take it -with you." - -"I've got a barker, sorr," observed Pat, with a laugh, tapping his -hip-pocket. "An officer of the ould corps gave it me many years ago, -an' we've not parted company yet." - -"Wait here till I return," said Jack authoritatively; and the -settler's son went back to the house. - -Jack proceeded straight to a storeroom where Mr. Lovat was in the -habit of keeping his rifles and ammunition. He selected a weapon of -the Lee-Enfield pattern, and took down a bandolier which was hanging -on a peg. The bandolier was empty, but Jack broke open an ammunition -box and filled the pockets of the belt with cartridges, after which -he returned to Pat. - -"Here, take these, Pat," said Jack, handing up the rifle and -bandolier, which the Irishman took. The latter slung the belt over -his shoulder, and, at Jack's suggestion, filled the magazine of the -rifle. - -"Well, good-bye, sorr," said Pat, and the next moment Cawdor was -proceeding at a canter down the mountain road. - -An hour passed, still no signs of Mr. Lovat or Pat, and Jack's -anxiety increased. The ostrich farmer was a man of his word, and -Jack began to fear that something was wrong, but he kept a cheerful -face in front of his mother and Mary. - -They were sitting in the dining-room, partaking of tea, when a tap -was heard on the half-open door. Jack instantly rose to his feet and -went outside. In the hall stood Pete. The Kaffir did not speak, but -beckoned with his forefinger, and then passed through a door leading -to a back yard. - -Jack followed, and when outside, said, "Well, Pete, what is it?" - -"Baas Jack," exclaimed Pete, "I dunno, but something is wrong. -Come!" and the native walked rapidly round to the front of the house, -Jack following in wonderment. - -"Look, baas," said the Kaffir, "what does that mean?" and he pointed -to what appeared to be a moving spot on the veldt. - -Jack gazed long and earnestly. "Why, it is a horse without a rider!" -he exclaimed at last. - -Kaffirs are noted for their keenness of vision, and shading his eyes -with his right hand, Pete observed, "The horse is coming dis way, -Baas Jack." - -Pete was right. Nearer and nearer came the flying quadruped, until -at last the stirrups from an empty saddle could be seen swaying -backwards and forwards. - -Jack's breath came thick and fast. The horse in a mad gallop was -approaching them. - -"Baas Jack," cried Pete, "it is Bessie!" - -And so it proved. A few moments later, Mary's pet, the beautiful -creature Mr. Lovat had driven to Springbokfontein that morning in the -Cape cart, galloped up, covered with foam and blood! - -Bessie was trembling in every limb, but she whinnied gently as Jack -patted her neck. On Bessie's back was a Boer saddle. A sudden fear -descended on Jack Lovat, and mentally he asked the question, "What -has happened to father?" - -The mare was bleeding from a wound in the right shoulder, evidently -caused by a bullet. - -"Take her round to the stables, Pete," said Jack. "I will join you -presently." Saying this, he went into the house. He met Mrs. Lovat -coming out of the dining-room, and she at once accosted him. - -"What is the matter, Jack? I heard the noise of hoofs just now. Is -it your father who has returned?" - -"No, he has not come yet, mother," answered Jack. "You must finish -your tea. Pete wants me round at the stables. I shall be back -presently;" and he went out again, but Mrs. Lovat followed him. - -Pete was busily engaged in rubbing down the mare, and when Mrs. Lovat -caught a glimpse of the blood on the poor creature's hide, she cried -out, "Why, Jack, it is Bessie! Where is your father?" and the -settler's wife burst into a flood of tears. - -"You are in the way just now, mother," said Jack gently. "Go inside, -until I have seen to Bessie. Something, I am afraid, has happened. -The poor thing is in great pain, and I must do what I can to relieve -it. Do go inside, please, mother. I will come to you presently."' - -Mrs. Lovat, whose vivid imagination had conjured up all kinds of -evils, obeyed Jack, and returned to the house. - -Now Jack Lovat's sterling qualities of coolness and resource began to -be displayed. With the skill of an experienced veterinary surgeon, -he examined Bessie's wound, and then carefully washed away the -coagulated blood. A gaping orifice an inch in diameter in the -animal's shoulder told Jack that it was a gunshot wound and that it -had been caused by a Mauser expanding bullet. - -The "boys" had gathered round, all anxious to help; but Jack would -allow no other hands than those of himself and Pete to touch the -mare, so the Kaffirs drew back, and stood whispering among themselves. - -Suddenly a clattering noise was heard, and before the "boys" could -get out of the way, Pat O'Neill, mounted on Cawdor, whose chest and -flanks were foam-flecked, was on the top of them, sending Zacchary -and Moses tumbling to the ground. - -The Irishman was bareheaded, and the arteries in his temples stood -out like whipcord. He pulled Cawdor up, and dismounted. Jack, with -wildly dilated eyes, queried, "What is the matter, Pat? Have you -seen father?" - -"No, sorr," gasped the faithful Irishman, "I haven't seen the master; -but a Boer commando--bad luck to them!--is making straight for us. -And I'm afraid, sorr, it will be a bad job for all of us. Their -scouts are close at hand even now. You'll fight, sorr?" - -"Yes, we will all fight, Pat," answered Jack proudly. "Boys, all at -once to the storeroom. Pete, take Bessie into the stable and give -her some water and a feed of corn. I'm sorry for mother and Mary, -but it can't be helped. No surrender to the Boers!" - -And Jack Lovat, although only a lad, and suffering under dire -apprehension, began his preparations for the defence of the Kopje -Farm. - -His worthy henchman, Pat O'Neill, had often detailed to him the story -of the glorious defence of Rorke's Drift, where a few Britishers, -many of whom were sick and wounded, for hours, amid flames and -death-dealing bullets, had held at bay the flower of savage -Tshingwayo's command. - -"Master Jack," said Pat, as Mr. Lovat's son stopped for a moment in -his work, "we will hould the place for the sake of the missis an' -Miss Mary, an' please the Almighty, I hope wid the same results as we -had at the Drift on the Buffalo River, when eight Victoria Crosses -were won in one night." - -"We will hold it to the last, Pat," responded Jack quietly. "My -father has had to work hard for all he has, and the Boers shan't take -it from him while my finger can pull a trigger;" and Jack Lovat meant -every word he said. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -A BOER LAAGER - -Eleven miles north-west of Orangefontein, and an almost equal -distance from Springbokfontein, a party of Boers were laagered. They -were Free Staters, with a sprinkling of Hollanders and renegade -Britons--the latter, few in number, having at one time served with -the English colours, and owing to their misdeeds, had deserted or -been drummed out of the British army. - -Nearly all were in rags, for that ubiquitous cavalry leader, General -French, had not allowed them a minute's rest, but had hurried and -harried them hither and thither, until the majority of the burghers -had grown sick and tired of the guerilla warfare, and wished for the -end to come. - -Their portable possessions--and indeed the latter could not be -otherwise than portable--were stowed away in a few light Cape carts. - -Ammunition was scarce, and had to be husbanded with the greatest -care, while food could only be procured with much difficulty from the -scattered farmsteads among the mountains of the Langeberg Range. - -A Boer of immense stature, holding in his right hand a formidable -sjambok, was leaning against the wheel of one of the carts. He was a -magnificent specimen of physical manhood, and the privations that for -two long years he had uncomplainingly endured had only served to -increase his tremendous muscular strength. - -His bronzed and deeply marked features showed a strength of will and -determination rare even in that race of obstinate men, the Boers of -South Africa. - -An immense beard swept his breast, the hair composing it being -streaked with gray. When Christian Uys first shouldered his rifle on -the outbreak of hostilities he was, comparatively speaking, a young -man, but under the sombre folds of the flag of war he had grown -prematurely aged and gray. - -A young burgher passing with a led horse, with a limping gait, -arrested his attention, and awoke him from the train of gloomy -reveries he was indulging in. - -"Ah, Van Donnop," said the commandant, "I wish to speak to you. What -is the matter with your horse?" - -The burgher whom he addressed was a sprightly young fellow of -nineteen, strongly made, and as agile as the springbok he had hunted -from youth upwards. - -"It is lame, Commandant," answered the youth. "One of its pasterns -is split. I do not think it will be able to travel farther. And my -favourite horse, too. I am very sorry, for it has been mine since it -was a foal." - -"I too am sorry, Piet," said the officer in a sympathising tone of -voice. "We are greatly in need of horses." - -The commandant stooped down and examined the horse's hoofs, after -which he looked up and remarked in a grave tone of voice, "A bad -case, Piet. The poor brute must be killed." - -A crimson flush surged up into the face of the young burgher, and he -exclaimed excitedly, "Do not ask me to kill her, Commandant! She was -my mother's gift to me when I was sixteen. I am hoping to leave her -at my father's farm and obtain another mount in her place." - -A look of pity crept into the commandant's face as he gazed at the -boy. - -"Ah, I forgot, Van Donnop," said the Boer leader; "you are now in -your native parts. How long have you served in my commando?" - -The young burgher thought for a moment, and then answered, "From -three months before we beat the rooineks at Koorn Spruit, near the -Waterworks. Let me see, that is now going on for two years. You -will allow me to keep the mare, Commandant?" Van Donnop asked -beseechingly. - -"But how will you travel?" asked Uys. - -"I am fleet of foot, and do not mind the hardship," pleaded the lad. -"If I may only keep my horse, I shall be happy. She is part of -myself;" and Piet's voice faltered as he went on, "She who gave me -the mare is dead." - -Piet stroked the finely arched neck of the mare, and the gentle -creature rubbed its tawny muzzle against the young burgher's cheek. - -"We shall see," said the commandant at last. "By the way, you and -your brother Jan know this countryside well. If we are to reach Port -Nolloth, we must have more mounts. Do you know any likely place -where we can replenish our stock of horses?" - -"There is one farm where many horses are kept--at least there used to -be, when I was at home." - -"And where is that?" asked the commandant. "To whom does the farm -belong?" - -"To a settler named Lovat," answered Piet. - -"One of our race?" interrogated the commandant. - -"He is opposed to us," replied Piet; "his name is a foreign one. He -is a Scotch settler who breeds many horses and ostriches." - -"Has he helped the rooineks?" queried Uys, and a frown passed over -his face. - -"He does not sympathise with us, Commandant," answered Piet, "but I -do not think he has favoured one side or the other. I believe he is -entirely taken up with looking after his ostriches." - -"And you can guide us to this farm?" asked the commandant. "Possibly -he may have some spare nags." - -Piet Van Donnop evidently did not like the suggested commission, and -the commandant, noting this, went on: "We must have some mounts, -Piet, or the rooineks will catch us. If that happens, I'm afraid our -fate will be a sorry one. A regiment of Lancers--the men who cut up -the Transvaalers at Elandslaagte--as well as several troops of New -Zealanders are on our track, and without fresh horses we shall stand -an almost sure chance of capture." - -"You will not harm Mr. Lovat or his family?" asked Piet. - -A smile played for a moment on the commandant's stern features, then -he said, "Not at all, Piet. Why should we? I'm afraid your heart is -concerned in the matter. But of course we must have what we require, -and very few questions asked into the bargain." - -"I will guide you, then," said the young burgher. "I may keep my -horse, Commandant?" - -"We shall see in the morning, boy," was the only reply vouchsafed by -the Boer leader; and Piet moved on, leading his lame horse. - -Taking out an immense pipe from one of his pockets, Christian Uys -filled it with leaf tobacco, lit up, and began to smoke. - -The commandant was evidently in a tender mood, for his thoughts were -in distant Winburg, where his wife and the children left to him were -being sheltered in a concentration camp, created by his arch-enemies, -the British. - -His was a strange compound of human nature. At times generous and -kind, at others he was fierce, implacable, and relentless. Like his -famous leader, General Joubert, at the outset he had realised that -the struggle in which his country had engaged was a hopeless one, but -with the obstinacy characteristic of his race, when once his hand was -put to the plough, there was no turning back. - -Christian Uys had already lost three sons in the war. His youngest, -a boy of fifteen, and the flower of the commandant's family, had been -shot in the stomach at Senekal. The brave boy hid his wound and -continued on the march, although a trail of blood marked the path -along which he rode, until he fell exhausted from his saddle, and -with his dying breath, and a look of intense love in his eyes, said, -"Father, I can fight no more, I am done." These were the brave lad's -last words, and like others on both sides, yielded up his spirit for -the cause in which he thought he was righteously fighting. - -An older brother had been with the fierce Cronje in the honeycombed -banks of the Modder, amidst the brown sulphurous smoke of bursting -lyddite shells, and while bringing water for a wounded comrade from -the polluted stream, had been struck squarely in the chest by a -Lee-Enfield bullet, and had fallen on his face, never to rise again. - -The last to die was the oldest boy of the family. A delicate youth -at the best, he had gone on commando with his father when the -vierkeleur was first hoisted in the field. For several months he had -fought and roughed it with the rest, until foul enteric seized him, -and the ranks of the Boer army knew him no more. He found a last -resting-place in a shallow grave on the veldt, not many miles from -his birthplace. - -Christian Uys woke up from his reverie and took a stroll round the -laager. Here was Jan Steen, once a well-to-do jeweller of Winburg, -who before war broke out was always immaculately dressed, with ample -starched shirt front and bejewelled fingers; there Van Sterck, the -learned medico of the same town. Neither had had a change of raiment -for months, and both looked correspondingly miserable. Yonder stood -Louis Bredon, the dandy of Harrismith, now a veritable scarecrow in -trousers made of sacking on which the address of a large milling -concern in Johannesburg was branded in staring black letters. -Bredon, like the rest of the commando, was weary of the daily -trekking, discomfort, and misery incidental to warfare, and his mind -was wandering back to the time when he used to walk down the shady -side of Harrismith's main street, the cynosure of the belles of the -Free State town. - -"You look discontented, Bredon," said Uys. "I am afraid you are like -most of my burghers. We cannot give in now, after we have endured so -much. There has not been sufficient fighting of late to keep up your -martial spirit. We want horses, Bredon, and they must be obtained, -if we are to reach Port Nolloth. Otherwise we had better surrender." - -"I have no objection, Commandant," replied Bredon somewhat brusquely. -"I've had enough of the war. We ought never to have been drawn into -it." - -"You speak like a patriot," observed Uys sarcastically. "I undergo -the same hardships as other burghers. You have suffered nothing as -yet. In what respect have you endured more than the rest of us?" - -Bredon hung down his head in a sheepish manner and remained silent. - -"I am finding a cure for your melancholy and dissatisfaction, Bredon. -I am detaching a portion of the commando for the duty of securing a -fresh supply of horses. Van Donnop is acting as guide to the -farmstead of a settler named Lovat. You will form one of the -commandeering party;" and Uys passed on. - -"To think," muttered the commandant, "fellows such as Bredon were the -most eager at the outset, and now they begin to whine when a little -hardship has to be borne! My poor Christian, Louis, and Wilhelm were -formed of different stuff." - -Christian Uys came up to a man who was busily engaged in cleaning his -Mauser. The burgher laid down his rifle as the commandant approached. - -"Eloff," began Uys, "I want you to pick a dozen good men of the -commando. Before morning I must have half a score of horses. Piet -Van Donnop knows a farm where they can be obtained, and will guide -you to it." - -Paul Eloff was a man built in the same herculean mould as his leader, -Christian Uys, and he looked at the commandant keenly. - -"We shall want more, Commandant," said Eloff; "a dozen will scarcely -suffice. Let me see," and the Boer began counting rapidly on his -fingers, after which he added, "Yes, quite a dozen, Commandant. The -spare led horses were taken as mounts yesterday. We must reach Port -Nolloth, or we shall be cut off by the rooineks." - -"You will muster the burghers, then, Eloff," said Uys. "Bring them -round to the commissariat waggon within half an hour, and do not -forget Van Donnop. Although a boy, his heart is good." - -"I will not fail, Commandant," replied Eloff, picking up his rifle -and recommencing the cleansing process. - -In less than the stipulated time, Eloff with his picked burghers -stood before the commandant, each man at his horse's head. - -Christian Uys called Eloff aside and whispered, "Do you think you are -sufficiently strong for the purpose in hand?" - -"I should make the patrol fifty strong, Commandant," answered Eloff. -"You are remaining in laager, I suppose, until we return?" - -"That is my intention, Eloff," answered Uys. "Van Donnop informed me -that the Kopje Farm--this Scotch settler's residence--is some eight -miles from here. You will keep a sharp look-out for the rooineks, -Eloff, and not be caught napping?" - -A smile spread over Eloff's face as he answered, "When I am found -asleep, Commandant, I shall not return to tell the tale. We have got -to the end of our tether, and I am longing to have one more go at the -rooineks. After that, well--oblivion." - -"It is a bad cause we have started on, Eloff," said Uys. "It is as -General Joubert foretold at the beginning, we are fighting in a lost -cause. How can we hope to stand against a mighty Power like England, -which has millions of gold and men without number? Bah! we were a -race of fools to be led by the nose. President Kruger, who commenced -the war, basely deserted us. But I must not speak of this. It is -horses we want, and horses we must have." - -Paul Eloff quickly mustered the additional burghers required, and in -sections of fours the motley cavalcade trekked towards the Kopje Farm. - -Eloff and Van Donnop rode at the head of the slender force, and the -former turning to the young Dutchman, said, "This is a rough country, -Van Donnop. You spent most of your life here?" - -"Until I went on commando," answered Piet. "I shall be glad when I -can get back to my father's farm. Those were happy days, Eloff." - -"You know the farmstead whither we are bound," inquired Eloff, "and -the people as well, I suppose?" - -"Perfectly," answered Piet. - -"And what about the owner? Is he a fighting man? Shall we have much -trouble?" - -"Mr. Lovat is quiet enough," replied Piet. "He has a son named Jack, -a dare-devil sort of boy, who will show fight, I think, but possibly -he may be on commando with the rooineks." - -"Any Kaffirs kept on the farm?" queried Eloff. - -"There used to be many," answered Van Donnop. "I do not wish any -harshness to be used towards Mr. Lovat. He used to be very kind to -me before I went on commando. The horses will be paid for, I -suppose?" - -Eloff laughed outright as he replied, "Van Donnop, I don't think a -single gold piece can be found in the pockets of the whole commando. -My instructions are to take what we require--as civilly, of course, -as possible. The account will be paid when the vierkeleur flies not -over the Transvaal and Orange Free State only, but over the whole of -the Cape. A receipt for the horses, of course, will be given." - -The Boers, who had been travelling through a series of dongas, now -debouched into a fairly open country. - -Eloff halted his men, and after looking ahead, turned to Van Donnop. - -"You have a pair of field glasses, Van Donnop, allow me to look -through them." - -Piet handed the glasses to Eloff, who placed them to his eyes. - -"There is a farmhouse, Van Donnop, on a kopje some four miles ahead," -said Eloff; "is it the home of this Mr. Lovat?" - -"That is where Mr. Lovat used to live," replied Piet; "things have -changed much lately." - -"A big place for a farmstead," observed Eloff. "This Mr. Lovat must -be rich." - -"He is said to be fairly wealthy," answered Piet. "He was a nobleman -in his own country, so I have heard it said." - -"And the house lower down the valley, to whom does that belong?" -queried Eloff. "Take the glasses, Van Donnop, then you will see what -I mean. Over there;" and the Boer pointed with his index finger in a -certain direction. - -"That is Jagger's Farm," said Piet, after a glance through the -glasses. "No horses can be obtained there. The farm has not been -occupied for years." - -"We will march straight on the place, Van Donnop, rest a while, and -then move on to--what is the name of the place, Piet?" - -"The Kopje Farm," replied the young Dutchman. "Someone is driving a -Cape cart towards Jagger's Farm, Eloff." - -"Right you are, Van Donnop. Give me the glasses again," said Eloff. - -Eloff peered through the instrument for a moment, after which he -ordered half a dozen burghers to gallop rapidly towards Jagger's -Farm, in order to intercept the solitary passenger in the Cape cart, -while he and his remaining fellow-countrymen dismounted and awaited -events. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -FRINGED WITH FIRE - -Kopje was singularly well situated for defence. From the rising -ground behind the house, no attack could be made by mounted men, as -it was strewn with big boulders of rock, and interlaced with dongas, -which though not deep, presented insuperable difficulties to an enemy -manoeuvring on horseback. - -The ostrich kraals--which were in reality one long rambling -building--commanded the country from which the only attack by mounted -men could be made, and the ground in front was open. - -On receipt of Pat's intelligence, Jack went to his mother and told -her the news brought by the Irishman. He insisted upon her as well -as Mary remaining inside the house, and would not listen to her -suggestion that if the Boers were really advancing upon the -farmstead, they should be allowed to take whatever they pleased, on -condition they harmed none of its inmates. - -"No, mother," said Jack firmly; "I have always been obedient, but any -Boer who dares to enter Kopje Farm without an invitation from me will -have a bullet from my rifle through him before he can say 'Jack -Robinson'! Please say no more, mother. Father is not here, and may -be dead, but if he is all right I could never look him in the face -again if I did not show fight. Stay inside with Mary, and do not -venture out until I come for you. I must go to the 'boys' now, as -time is precious;" and saying this, Jack went across to the ostrich -kraal, where the Kaffir servants were assembled. - -The sun was within half an hour of setting, and the light was good -enough to enable our hero--for such Jack Lovat will prove to be -before we bid him adieu--to distinguish a body of horsemen moving in -an oblique direction across the veldt. Pat had stabled Cawdor, and -stood awaiting orders from Jack. - -"We must have the rifles and ammunition from the storeroom, Pat," -said Jack, "and quick must be the word. Kindly look after the boys, -Pat. Zacchary, Pete, and the lot of you, go and bring the rifles; -and don't forget, Pete, to bring a hammer. One moment, Pat; a couple -of lanterns will be needed, as well as some matches." - -Strange it is that fighting blood is transmitted from generation to -generation, but so it proved in Jack Lovat's case. An ancestor of -his had suffered death on Culloden field for what he considered his -duty towards the unfortunate race of Stuarts, and Jack was prepared -to lay down his life in the defence of the Kopje Farm. - -In the excitement of the moment he forgot about his father's possible -peril. His thoughts were concentrated on the question, "Can I strike -a blow for the honour of the old country?" Jack had not gone through -a course of metaphysics or logic. He was simply a lad, made a man -before his time perhaps, and yearning for an outlet through which a -vast flood of pent-up patriotism could be poured. - -Pat and the "boys," in almost less time than it takes to relate, -transferred the arms to the ostrich kraal. The weapons were in -splendid order. Jack Lovat had seen to that. Many hours he had -spent in cleaning the rifles, always hoping, boylike, that some day -they would come in handy, when the Boers put in an appearance. - -The ungainly-looking ostriches, penned in spaces of rectangular form, -craned their far-stretching necks, all the while uttering the grunt -peculiar to the birds, dubbed by naturalists _Struthio Camelus_. - -A passage, four feet in width, ran between the inner walls of the -kraal and the high hurdles forming the temporary home of the -ostriches. Four feet above the flagged floor of the kraal were -loopholes, and these presently had the barrels of rifles protruding -from them. - -A couple of thousand rounds of ammunition, in boxes holding one -hundred each, were placed in handy positions, and Pete with much -dexterity knocked off the lids of the boxes, thus exposing the little -nickel-plated messengers of death. - -Each "boy" was given a rifle, and by the way the magazines were -charged it was evident that the weapons had been handled before. - -Pat, who was peering through a loophole, cried out, "The beggars are -coming, sorr, an' they're more than fifty strong." - -Jack, who was engaged in inspecting the "boys'" rifles, at once went -up to Pat. - -"How far off do you make them now, Pat?" he asked. - -"Bedad! they seem to be only five hundred yards away," answered the -Irishman. But Pat was wrong in his conjecture, and Pete at once -corrected him. - -"Dey be quite a mile from de farm, Baas Jack," said the Kaffir. "De -eyes ob white men do not see right--at least not in dis country." - -A peep through a loophole told Jack that Pete's estimate was a -correct one. The South African atmosphere is so clear that distance -seems annihilated on the veldt. - -Jack addressed a few words to the defenders of the farm. "Boys," he -began, "before long we may be in a tight hole. I am going to run the -show for what it is worth. It shall never be said that Christian Uys -and his men took Kopje Farm without a shot being fired. You boys, of -course, know what it will mean if any of you are captured with arms -in your hands. A sjambokking first, and possibly after that a Mauser -bullet through the head. We must have no white-flag business here. -If any of you boys don't care to fight, there is time for you to get -away over the kopje. Pat and I mean to stay here till the last." - -"We stay with the baas as well," said Pete emphatically; and in -Kaffir fashion the whole of the "boys" held up their right hands, -extending the index finger in a significant manner. - -"Thanks," returned Jack. "And now to business!" - -The eyes of the Kaffirs were fixed on something behind Jack, and the -latter noting this, turned quickly round. To his great surprise, his -eyes fell upon the figures of his mother and Mary. - -"This is no place for you, mother," said Jack. "You must return to -the house. It is quite safe there." - -"But what does this mean, Jack?" asked Mrs. Lovat, pointing to the -ammunition boxes and rifles. "This will be death to someone. My -dear boy, pray do be careful." - -"All right, mother," said Jack, with a laugh. "I'll be more than -careful. But you must go back to the house. You will only be in the -way here." - -"I am almost distracted, Jack. Your father may be dead;" and Mrs. -Lovat broke into a paroxysm of tears. "This cruel war is killing me. -Why cannot things be settled without recourse to bloodshed?" - -Had Mrs. Lovat passed through the same experiences as many settlers' -wives in Natal and the northern parts of Cape Colony, the exclamation -might have been a justifiable one. As it was, the black wings of -Azrael, the Angel of Death, were beginning to flap over the Kopje -Farm, and the ostrich farmer's wife, whose nature was a curious -compound of kindness, fear, credulity, and misgiving, began to show -signs of fainting. - -Not so Mary Lovat. Although only a girl in her early teens, she -possessed a large share of her brother Jack's mental and moral -courage, and she came up and whispered in Jack's ear, "Mother will go -back to the house with me, but I should so much like to stay here." - -Pat O'Neill ended Mary's whispering somewhat abruptly, but quietly. -He had been patrolling the rough ground outside the Kopje Farm, and -coming inside the walled enclosure, walked swiftly up to Jack. - -"The Boers are near at hand, sorr," he whispered. "What is the -missis doing here? This is no place for ladies. Shall I take them -across to the house?" - -The next moment, Mrs. Lovat and Mary, escorted by Pat and Moses, were -passing under the shelter of the dry stone wall to the farmhouse, and -Moses, who had his rifle and a supply of ammunition with him, was -told to stay with the "missis" until he was sent for. - -Having seen the two ladies seated in the dining-room, with Moses -acting as their guard, Pat returned at breakneck speed to the kraal, -where he found Jack examining the approaching horsemen attentively -through a pair of field glasses. - -The twilight of South Africa is of short duration, but the light was -still good. - -"They are Boers," said Jack, handing the glasses to his faithful -henchman. "Just give a look, Pat, and tell me, if you can, how many -there are, and what distance they are now from the farm." - -Pat placed the binocular to his optics and gazed for a moment down -the valley, after which he spoke. - -"Right you are, sorr; they're Boers sure enough, and well within half -a mile av us. About fifty or more, I should say, sorr, an' a big -fellow in front is houlding a white flag. You saw the chap, sorr, -the man on the gray horse. Now they have halted, and, bedad, the man -is coming forrard. See for yourself, sorr;" and the worthy Irishman -handed back the glasses to his young master. - -It took but a moment to convince Jack that Pat was right, and that a -Boer was approaching under a flag of truce. - -"Inside at once, Pat!" our hero cried; and the pair entered the kraal. - -"Man the loopholes, boys!" said Jack; and the Kaffirs, whose rifle -magazines were charged, stood to their posts. Nine murderous-looking -small-bore rifles were instantly pointed down the valley. - -The man on the gray horse had halted a couple of hundred paces in -front of the party of horsemen, as though undecided what to do. - -"I'll interview him, sorr," said Pat, whose place was next to Jack -Lovat. "I'll go and see what the rascal wants." - -"I was thinking about the same thing myself," observed Jack. "Maybe -it will be the best thing that can be done. No, you must not take -your rifle; and put that bandolier off, Pat." - -"All right, sorr. I'm anyhow for an aisy life. An' conscience," -replied the brave Irishman, "I've got the barker, sorr, if things -come to the worst. Then I can go, Master Jack?" - -"Certainly, Pat; just slip down and see what the thieving rascals -want. But remember, we have no remounts at Kopje Farm for them." - -"I understand, sorr," said Pat; and the ex-soldier walked boldly out -of the kraal to the spot where the individual on the gray horse had -halted. - -Pat, whose stride was none of the shortest, made rapid tracks towards -the solitary horseman, whose left hand grasped a short stick to the -end of which was attached a white handkerchief, while the right -supported the barrel of a Mauser rifle, the butt end of which rested -on his thigh. - -"Halt!" cried the horseman in perfect English, as Pat came up. "Who -and what are you?" - -"That is my business," answered Pat. "I will put a more pertinent -question to you. Long-whiskers! who an' what are you, an' what do -you mane by disturbing honest folk in these lonely parts?" - -"Have you any horses at the farmstead just ahead?" asked the -stranger. "This is a part of Christian Uys's commando, and we want a -few Boer ponies badly." - -"You said Boer ponies?" said Pat interrogatively. - -"I spoke plainly enough, I think," answered the Boer. "We are in -need of a few horses, which the British Government will pay for. We -will give a receipt for them." - -"The master has some grand nags," said Pat, "but av course he will -want payment for them. Can you pay on the nail?" - -The Boer, who was not by any means a bad-looking man of about fifty, -laughed outright at Pat's _insouciance_. - -The Irishman went on: "Will the paper hould good if the master lets -you have them?" - -"When the vierkeleur flies over the whole of South Africa, your -master will be paid in good gold, and that will be before many months -are over," replied the Boer. - -"And if the master does not care to part with the animals?" inquired -Pat. - -"We'll take them, of course," replied the Boer. "We are tired of -bloodshed, but we have won the day; the rooineks can't deny that -fact. You see the burghers behind me? Well, we are some of the -fellows who cut up your crack regiments at Sanna's Post." - -"Then I may return an' tell the master that you'll pay for the nags?" -asked Pat. - -"Certainly, but don't be long about it," replied the Boer; "and tell -your employer's son--for the master of the house is not at home, and -won't be to-night--that any attempt at double-dealing will be harshly -dealt with. Within ten minutes from now we will advance upon the -farm, and if necessary, take by force all we require." - -Pat needed no further telling, but strolled back to the farmstead, -wondering all the time whether a Boer bullet would lay him flat on -the veldt or not. - -The orange tints glimmering above the mountains were beginning to -fade into a light purplish gray as Pat walked into the ostrich kraal. - -Jack, naturally enough, was awaiting his return with some anxiety. - -"They are Boers, Pat?" queried Jack. - -"Boers, sure enough," responded Pat, "an' they've come to commandeer -the horses. The chap wid the white flag says they will pay for them -when the Boer flag waves over this heathen part av the world." - -"That is enough for me," said Jack, after he had listened to Pat's -brief narration. "We will wait until we see them on the move towards -us. After that, they can look to themselves." - -The minutes seemed long, but at last, through the dim twilight, the -Boer on the gray horse was seen waving his flag, as though beckoning -his fellow-burghers to advance. - -On seeing this, Jack Lovat elevated his rifle, pulled the trigger, -and the bullet went whistling high over the heads of the Boers. - -The commando instantly halted, and the advanced Boer rode quickly -back to his comrades. - -The burghers opened out in wide formation, and dismounting, poured in -a volley. The majority of the bullets splashed against the rough -stones forming the wall of the ostrich kraal. - -"Now, boys," cried Jack, "that is just what I wanted. Take a -careful, steady aim. Don't fire too wildly, and let every one select -his man. There is yet enough light to see them by. Take the word -from me." - -Instantly the muzzles of nine rifles peeped through as many -loopholes, and Jack gave the word, "Fire!" - -The reports rang out as one, and the defenders of the farm could see -that some of their shots had taken effect, for a couple of Boer -horses broke loose, and with clattering hoofs came galloping towards -the ostrich kraal. A desultory fire came from the Boers, but as yet -no bullets had entered the loopholes. - -"Empty your magazines," cried Jack, "but wait for my orders. Now, -boys, one, two, three," and at each successive number a tiny -horizontal sheet of flame shot from the loopholes. - -Yells of rage could be heard from the Boers, mingled with groans, -after which the sounds of galloping hoofs were borne on the night -air, followed by complete silence. - -It was now quite dark, and after waiting, it must be said somewhat -anxiously for several minutes for a renewal of the attack, Jack -ordered Pat to light the lanterns, and the Irishman instantly obeyed, -and showed himself an adept at the work. - -Carefully shading the lighted match, so that no stray rays of light -could creep through the loopholes, Pat lit the lanterns, when the -whinnying of horses outside attracted Jack's attention. - -"Remain here, Pat," said Jack. "I'm going across to the house, to -give a look to my mother and sister. Keep a sharp look-out while I -am gone, in case the beggars come back." - -Saying this, Jack walked out into the darkness, and the next moment -stumbled against a horse. He, however, walked swiftly towards the -house, and found Moses, rifle in hand, guarding the hall. Jack had -taken the precaution of shouting out as he approached, for he by no -means relished the idea of a bullet being planted between his ribs. - -Mrs. Lovat and Mary were still in the dining-room, and as Jack -entered, the former exclaimed, "What is the meaning of all this -firing, Jack?" - -"It means, mother, that if there had been no firing, the Boers would -before now have emptied our stables. We have beaten them off, I -think." - -"Has anyone been hurt?" inquired Mrs. Lovat nervously. - -"Not on our side, mother," replied Jack, with a laugh; "as far as the -Boers are concerned, I do not know. If any harm has happened to -father, then I hope we have killed the lot of them. Moses is still -on guard, mother; you need have no fear. I shall be back presently;" -and he walked out of the room. - -Moses, whose white teeth gleamed as Jack passed him, said, "Dings are -all right, Baas Jack. I will see dat no Boers come in here to -frighten de missis an' de little missie." - -"Quite right, Moses," observed Jack cheerfully. "Give the beggars -beans if they come." - -"I'll do dat, baas," replied the grinning Kaffir. - -An hour later the moon, which was on the wane, would creep over the -kopje, and give the defenders of the farm a chance to locate their -now unseen assailants. - -A deep silence hung over the place, and Jack groped his way along the -wall leading to the ostrich kraal. Pat evidently knew his work, for -the place was in darkness. - -Suddenly a challenge rang out: "Is that you, sorr?" - -The speaker was Pat, whom Jack found outside the kraal, holding a -couple of horses. - -"All right, Pat," answered Jack. "The Boers seem to have departed." - -"Then I'll take these nags inside, sorr, an' have a look at them. -The poor things are trembling all over their bodies down to their -fetlocks." - -Jack entered the kraal, followed by Pat, dragging the dumb brutes -behind him. - -"A light here, Pete," said Jack; and the Kaffir foreman brought a -shielded lantern. Jack turned on the light, and by its aid examined -the horses. - -By the saddlery on the animals, he came to the conclusion that the -horses had a couple of hours before formed part of the equipment of -Christian Uys's commando, and a patch of clotted blood on the saddle -and off stirrup of one of the horses told its own tale. - -"Bring the light a little closer, Pat. I want to see the----" - -Jack Lovat never finished the sentence, for a fierce fusillade was -directed at the kraal from the immediate outside, and Zacchary, who -was standing leaning on the butt of his rifle with his head on a -level with a porthole, tumbled over--never to rise again, for a -Mauser bullet had found its billet in the unfortunate Kaffir's head. - -"To the loopholes, boys!" cried Jack; and the defenders replied with -a will to the fire of the unseen enemy. For half an hour a constant -fusillade was kept up, but without further loss to the defenders of -the kraal, after which the Boer fire ceased. - -Their attempt to storm the kraal had failed. Very tenderly Jack -Lovat and Pat carried the stricken Zacchary to a corner of the kraal, -and covered the dead body with some empty mealie sacks, after which -Jack paid another visit to the house, where he found his mother and -Mary quite safe. - -A couple of hours were spent by Jack and Pat in reconnoitring, but -all traces of the Boers had vanished, with the exception of a dead -horse, which evidently had been wounded and managed to crawl towards -the farm, where it had dropped down and died. - -About two o'clock in the morning a sheet of flame, accompanied by the -reports of many rifles, was seen far down the valley. - -"They have come up with some Britishers, Pat," said Jack. - -"By the powers!" observed the Irishman, "they seem to be hard at -work. I would give something to be there." - -For some minutes the firing lasted, then ceased, and shortly -afterwards the sound of horses' hoofs could be heard coming up the -valley. - -Jack and his followers instantly manned the loopholes, but the -strangers came steadily on. - -"Shall I challenge them, sorr?" asked Pat; and without waiting for a -reply, the brave Irishman passed out of the kraal, and with a -stentorian voice called out, "Halt! who comes there?" at the same -time levelling his rifle at the approaching figures. - -"It is I, Pat!" shouted the master of the Kopje Farm; and the next -moment Mr. Lovat had Jack in his arms, exclaiming, "It was a near -shave, Jack, but I am glad I am able to see you all once more." - -Mrs. Lovat and Mary were delighted beyond measure at Mr. Lovat's -return, and with much trembling listened to the account of his -adventures since he left the Kopje Farm on the previous morning. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -MR. LOVAT'S ADVENTURE - -Little did Mr. Lovat dream of the adventures he would pass through -that morning as he drove away from Kopje Farm in the direction of -Springbokfontein. Bessie was in good condition, and trotted swiftly -between the shafts of the Cape cart, and the crisp air exhilarated -man and beast. - -When a couple of miles from home, he met an acquaintance riding a -Cape pony, and pulled up to pass the time of day. - -"Well, Mr. Bassett," said the ostrich farmer, "any news of the Boers?" - -Mr. Bassett--a sturdy, thick-set man of middle age, who during his -lifetime had tried his hand at nearly every kind of occupation, and -now combined the office of land valuer with that of gold -prospector--replied, "I've just come from Springbokfontein, Mr. -Lovat, and rumours are flying thick and fast about Christian Uys -being in the neighbourhood with a commando. This Uys is a very -daring fellow, and has proved himself to be a most capable leader. -Their stock of horses, I suppose, is getting low, and naturally -enough the Boers want to replenish their store." - -"Certainly," observed Mr. Lovat. "I suppose the town guard at -Springbokfontein are on the alert?" - -"Not half of them are to be trusted," replied Mr. Bassett grimly, -"for I am afraid several of them are rebels at heart. You have left -things all right up at the Kopje Farm, I hope?" - -"Any Boers calling there will get a warm reception, I can assure -you," replied Mr. Lovat, with a laugh. "I think that my son and the -'boys' will be able to give a good account of themselves, if they are -interfered with. But I must be getting along, as I wish to be back -by noon. Good-morning, Mr. Bassett;" and the ostrich farmer flicked -Bessie with his whip. - -The mare darted forward with a quick motion, and in a short time Mr. -Lovat came to Jagger's Farm, the ruined building half way between the -Kopje Farm and Springbokfontein. - -The country was wild in the extreme. The road ran between a range of -kopjes, at the bases of which were watercourses, dry in summer, but -at times during the winter months raging torrents. - -Jagger's Farm had an unenviable notoriety, several white men having -been murdered in its vicinity. The building was surrounded by a -roughly-built stone wall, which in many places was in a state of ruin. - -The roadway was strewn with boulders of rock, and Mr. Lovat had to -descend from his perch in the cart for the purpose of leading Bessie -along the stony roadway. - -The ostrich farmer was holding Bessie's head, for the mare made a -stumble, when a harsh voice called out in Dutch, "Halt!" - -To Mr. Lovat's dismay, he perceived six unkempt and fierce-looking -men with heads and shoulders appearing above the farm wall, and the -more ominous sight of a row of rifles pointed at him. - -A couple of the Boers, for such they were, leaped over the wall and -ran towards Mr. Lovat. The latter halted. The nature of the road -and the murderous-looking Mausers dispelled any idea of escape, so -grasping Bessie's reins tightly with his left hand, he faced the -strangers, and said, "What do you want?" - -"Your mare," answered one of the Boers in English. - -"I won't sell her," said Mr. Lovat decisively. "She is not to be -bought at any price. Allow me to pass, please." - -A loud laugh burst from the Boers, the remaining three having joined -their fellows in the roadway. - -"Commandant Christian Uys requires the service of your horse. You -will receive payment for it when the war is over," was the response -Mr. Lovat received. - -A couple of Boers sprang to the mare's head, evidently with the -intention of unharnessing Bessie. - -Grasping the handle of his whip, Mr. Lovat brought the butt end down -with force upon the head of the Boer who had just spoken, and the -Dutchman stumbled and fell in the roadway. - -The next moment the ostrich farmer was lying senseless on the ground, -having been knocked down by a blow from a clubbed rifle. - -First came a vision of many-coloured stars, then oblivion; and the -world for the time being was a blank to Mr. Lovat. - -When he came to his senses, he found himself lying in the farmyard. -His arms and wrists had been securely fastened behind his back, while -his ankles were also tied. The Cape cart was standing close to where -he lay, but the mare was gone. - -Then his thoughts turned to the bag of gold, and though dazed and -suffering from a violent headache, a remembrance of his encounter -with the Boers flashed through his mind, and he gave vent to a heavy -groan. - -The farmyard was covered with rough veldt grass, which made his couch -a less painful one than it would have otherwise been. A bundle of -dirty, discarded Boer clothing lay beside him, and in the vehicle was -a roughly made hamper, which was not there when he left home. - -He thought about his wife, Mary, and Jack, and imagined their anxiety -at his non-return. He tried to move, but was unable to do so, while -the pain in his head was almost insufferable. - -The sun climbed higher in the heavens, and its fierce rays beat upon -his bare head. His physical pain grew greater, but the acuteness of -his mind-suffering lessened, and at last he again relapsed into -unconsciousness. - -Then Mr. Lovat was brought to himself by some one shaking him. - -The ostrich farmer looked up in a dazed sort of way, and the sight of -a bronzed and stalwart Colonial trooper clad in khaki, and wearing a -couple of bandoliers, met his gaze. - -"What is the meaning of this?" asked the trooper. "Ah! I see you -are wounded. You are a Britisher, of course?" - -In a few words, Mr. Lovat told the story of his capture, and the -Colonial drawing out a clasp knife, cut the cords with which Mr. -Lovat's arms and ankles were bound, after which the Irregular helped -the farmer to his feet. - -A little pool of semi-coagulated blood lay where his head had rested, -and the trooper noticing the settler's pallid face, drew out a small -flask containing brandy, and insisted on his taking a drink. The -spirit revived Mr. Lovat, and he made a search for the bag containing -the gold, but, alas! it too was gone. - -While he was engaged in ruefully surveying the cart, the trooper was -joined by half a dozen comrades, who had been busy searching the farm -premises. - -"Hullo, Morton!" said one of the troopers, addressing the Irregular -who had released Mr. Lovat. "What is the matter?" - -"This gentleman has evidently been held up by a party of Boers -belonging to Christian Uys's commando," replied Morton. "The rascals -have looted him of a bag containing five hundred sovereigns." - -"Great Scot! that is what I call a haul," exclaimed a young trooper. -"I didn't think there was so much money to be found in this blessed -country. Give me New Zealand in preference to this wilderness." - -"We're Auckland Rangers," explained Trooper Morton to Mr. Lovat, "and -are on the track of Christian Uys, one of the best leaders the Boers -possess. He is on the look-out for horses and stores, I think, and -although we have been dogging his commando for some days we have not -been able to come up with them. Ah! here come our other fellows." - -A party of horsemen in files of four came clattering along the stony -road, and presently halted at the entrance to the farmyard. The -troopers were about thirty in number--hardy, stalwart young -Maorilanders--commanded by Major Salkeld, a Colonial who had done -splendid service during the siege of Wepener. - -The troop had several spare horses with them, and after Morton had -explained the situation to his officer, Mr. Lovat was offered a -mount, which he gladly accepted. - -The horses were given a feed, and the troopers snatched a hasty meal -of bully beef and biscuit. During the repast Mr. Lovat detailed a -few facts concerning his farm and the surrounding country to Major -Salkeld, and it was settled that the party should proceed in the -direction of the Kopje Farm. Possibly they might come across the -marauders and be able to restore Mr. Lovat's lost property to him. - -The harness belonging to the Cape cart had been wantonly hacked, so -that the idea of the vehicle's removal had to be abandoned. - -Kopje Farm lay a good distance up the valley, and before the little -force had proceeded a mile, Major Salkeld called a halt. - -Trooper Morton's quick eye had detected a body of horsemen defiling -through a donga about a mile away on the New Zealander's left flank. -Morton, who was acting as scout, at once returned and reported the -fact to his officer, who instantly placed his field glass to his -eyes. The major looked long and earnestly, then handing his -binocular to Morton, said, "Just give a glance through these, and -tell me what you make of them." - -The scout applied the glasses, after which he handed them back to the -major, saying, "They are Boers, sir, without doubt." - -"And how many do you make of them?" inquired the officer. - -"About forty, I should say, sir," answered the trooper. "They have a -couple of led horses with them as well." - -Major Salkeld turned to Mr. Lovat, who had been riding by his side, -and pointing to the donga, asked, "Where does the bridle-path leading -to the donga terminate, Mr. Lovat?" - -"It runs up to a settler's farm, some seven or eight miles from -here," replied Mr. Lovat. "The settler is a Dutchman named Van -Donnop, and it is said that his three sons are on commando with the -rebels." - -"Ah!" muttered the major, "just so; and these fellows doubtless are -making tracks for this farm to re-equip and get a fresh supply of -ammunition and stores. I am sorry that we cannot see you home, but -duty is always duty, and the exigencies of the service demand that -when we get on the track of the Boers we must follow them up." - -"I am going with you, if I may," said Mr. Lovat. "Possibly these -fellows have my five hundred pounds, and I can hardly afford to lose -that." - -"I am afraid, my dear sir, that you have said good-bye to your gold," -said the major. "However, if you care to accompany us, you can do -so. You are looking better now than when I saw you first. I suppose -you can shoot?" - -"There are not many settlers who can't," answered Mr. Lovat, with a -touch of dignity in the tones of his voice. - -"I mean no offence," said the major. "Do you feel strong enough to -go with us?" - -"I'm all right now," replied the settler. "My head is somewhat sore, -and the muscles of my neck a little stiff, but I would rather go on -with you, sir." - -"Very good, you shall," said the officer. Turning to Morton, he -continued, "We have a spare rifle?" - -"Half a dozen, sir," answered the trooper. "I have an extra one with -me, which Mr. Lovat can have, if he understands the mechanism." - -"Then kindly hand it over," said the major. - -Turning again to the settler, the officer continued, "Luckily you -have not been much troubled in these parts, but I'm afraid you soon -will be. The Boers are getting short of ammunition, and these roving -bands of burghers are merely the advanced guard of a bigger force of -Boers. The supply of ammunition has been stopped through Lorenzo -Marquess, and the burghers are making their way to Port Nolloth, and -other places on the west coast, where contraband stuff in the shape -of rifles and cartridges are to be had in plenty. I suppose the -majority of the settlers about here are loyal?" - -"I'm afraid I can't answer that question entirely in the affirmative. -I know that I am, and all living in the Kopje Farm are loyal subjects -of the King. Many young men have disappeared from the district, and -I saw signs of the coming storm long before it burst." - -"What! even in this remote part?" asked the Colonial officer. - -"A couple of years before the war broke out, Boer emissaries went -about from place to place, ostensibly as pedlars, but I am certain -they were secret agents of the Transvaal Republic," answered Mr. -Lovat. - -The major addressed a few words to his men. They were brief and to -the point:-- - -"Boys," he began, "I have no doubt that we are on the track of -Christian Uys, and I sincerely trust we shall be able to lay him by -the heels. Perhaps this is part of his commando in front of us. Be -careful with your ammunition, for we have none to spare. Don't waste -it. I hope to be in Springbokfontein to-morrow when the regiment -arrives; but in the evening we must harry the enemy, who I am pleased -to say have on the whole proved honourable men. The day after -to-morrow I promise you a couple of days' rest. Then we move on to -Port Nolloth. Now, boys, a fairly good pace, but don't blow your -horses." - -The road, however, was so difficult that there was no prospect of the -latter occurrence happening. The troopers could only proceed in -double file, and the men were compelled to assume an oblong -formation, which would have formed a splendid target for an enemy -armed with Mausers or light field guns. - -Morton, the most daring man in the Auckland Rangers, was well in -front when a "Phit!" "Phit!" followed by a fusillade, caused him to -halt. - -The New Zealanders had been discovered by the enemy, who by this time -had passed out of view. The bullets went whistling over the heads of -the Colonials, who, on the order of Major Salkeld, retired to the -shelter of a small donga, some two hundred yards in their rear. - -Every fourth man was detailed to lead his own and three comrades' -horses to a watercourse naturally protected by immense boulders of -quartz. - -Ten dismounted troopers were next ordered by the major to creep -forward to the position they had just left, while the rest of the -unencumbered advanced one hundred yards and flung themselves on the -ground. - -Mr. Lovat, savage at the loss of his gold, begged the officer to -allow him to form one of the advanced party, and the major readily -acceded to his request. - -The ostrich farmer declared that he was all right,--the pain in his -head had left him,--and Morton having glanced approval, Major Salkeld -consented, and the eleven Imperialists crept forward on hands and -knees towards the spot they had just vacated. - -The sun was on the point of dropping below the western horizon, and -in half an hour's time darkness would cover the veldt, so there was -no time to be lost if the Boers were to be captured. - -The long, low buildings which constituted Van Donnop's farmstead -could be plainly seen, but the Boers had disappeared within a donga. -Their approach to the farm, however, would be covered by the -troopers' fire, and Morton and his fellow-Colonials waited -impatiently for the enemy to emerge from the donga. - -Presently a couple of Boers dashed across the space intervening -between the donga and the farm. - -Two shots rang out, and thin wreaths of bluish-tinted vapour hung -round the muzzles of the rifles wielded by Mr. Lovat and Trooper -Morton. - -"Got him!" ejaculated the latter, as one of the Boers threw up his -arms and fell from the horse. The animal, relieved of its burden, -galloped wildly towards the farmstead. - -The second Boer, on seeing his fellow-burgher fall, wheeled his horse -quickly round and dashed furiously for the shelter of the donga. - -A dozen leaden messengers of death whistled around him, but he and -his steed passed through them unharmed. - -With the exception of a solitary shot, no fire came in reply to the -troopers' fusillade, and Morton waved to the remainder of the troop -to come up, which the latter did. - -A consultation was held between Major Salkeld and Morton, and it was -eventually decided to await the darkness which would descend on the -veldt. Under its cover an advance would be made on the farm. - -Just as the last streaks of yellow light were fading into a mass of -purplish gray, Morton begged his major to allow him to creep forward -in the direction of the farm for the purpose of reconnoitring, and -the officer assented. - -Slinging his rifle behind his back, the scout slowly edged his way to -where the stricken Boer lay on the veldt. The Free Stater was dead, -for a couple of bullets had pierced his brain. - -He was a rough-looking man with unkempt hair and beard, and the -daring trooper, still prostrate, turned him over and coolly began to -search his pockets. - -Morton abstracted several documents, which he thrust into an inner -pocket of his khaki tunic, after which he retraced his way to his -comrades, still crawling on his hands and knees. - -He handed the papers to Major Salkeld, who determined to advance at -once on Van Donnop's farmstead. In answer to an interrogation from -his superior, Morton explained that he had not seen any Boers except -the dead one, and that the Dutch settler's farm betrayed no sign of -life. - -Ten minutes later, the New Zealanders were drawn up in front of the -farm buildings, and Morton, always the first to volunteer for any -hazardous duty, went straight to the front door of the house and -began hammering with the butt of his rifle upon its stout panels. - -Footsteps could be heard in the passage, and a voice called out in -Dutch, "Who is there?" - -"Open the door instantly," commanded Morton brusquely, "or I'll blow -it in." - -The door was unfastened by a man of immense girth of chest. His -physiognomy showed his Dutch extraction. - -"What do you want?" demanded the farmer gruffly. This time he spoke -in English. - -Morton in reply gave a shrill whistle, and the next moment a dozen -troopers crowded into the wide passage, Major Salkeld being at their -head. - -"Now, then, Mynheer--whatever your name is, we want to have a look at -the stores you have concealed in this building," began the major. "I -shall also be glad to learn something about the whereabouts of -Christian Uys and his commando." - -"I know nothing about them," answered Van Donnop, for such he was. - -"You can tell some other person that tale," observed Major Salkeld, -with a laugh. "You have some food in the house, I suppose?" - -Van Donnop looked at the speaker with a surly expression on his face. - -"Oh, we shall pay for everything we consume," continued the officer. -"Look sharp, my man;" and Van Donnop with bad grace led the way to a -large kitchen, in which half a dozen Kaffirs, evidently farm hands, -were seated round a log fire. - -Food was supplied to the troopers, as well as forage for their -horses, after which the premises were thoroughly searched for -concealed arms; but the hunt proved fruitless. After paying for the -supplies, the major and his troopers rested for a couple of hours. - -Sounds of rifle-firing away to the west were heard, and soon after -midnight the New Zealanders, accompanied by Mr. Lovat, set out for -the Kopje Farm, and all earnestly hoped they would come across their -brave and stubborn enemy. - -And so they did; but with the exception of a few desultory shots -fired at an uncertain range, and without any casualties on their -side, Major Salkeld and his troopers, as related in the last chapter, -arrived on the scene where Jack Lovat and his handful of Kaffirs had -so bravely defended his father's farmstead. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -DIAMOND VALLEY - -Jack Lovat was warmly congratulated by the New Zealanders on their -arrival at the Kopje Farm, and the ostrich farmer naturally felt -proud of his son. - -The return of Bessie was described by Jack, and Trooper Morton said -he had no doubt whatever that the animal which had bolted when its -Boer rider was shot by Trooper Morton and Mr. Lovat was none other -than the gallant little mare. - -As soon as daylight broke, the Colonials, headed by Mr. Lovat, Jack, -and Pete, examined the country in front of the ostrich kraal to a -distance of a thousand paces. - -Three dead Boers and two horses were found stretched on the veldt, -and Jack Lovat had no difficulty in identifying the body of Jan Van -Donnop, one of the sons of the Dutch settler of that name. - -Jan and his brothers, Piet and Stephanus, had mysteriously -disappeared from the neighbourhood soon after the outbreak of -hostilities, and their father had given it out that the lads had gone -to reside at East London with a relative in order to learn the trade -of milling. - -Mr. Lovat made a more important discovery. Attached to the saddle of -a dead horse was the cowhide bag which the previous morning had -contained his five hundred sovereigns, but which, alas! was now empty. - -The pockets of the dead Boers revealed no traces of the lost gold, -and Morton remarked, "I'm afraid, Mr. Lovat, you have said good-bye -to the coin. None of these men are leaders." - -Mr. Lovat was examining the features of one of the dead men, and -without heeding the Colonial's remark, he said, "This fellow is the -man who commandeered Bessie." - -With the aid of pickaxes and spades, a trench was made by the New -Zealanders, and the stricken Boers and their horses were decently -interred, Jack Lovat taking charge of several mementos belonging to -Jan Van Donnop. - -Jack was possessed of a humane nature, and being far from illiterate -and possessing a cosmopolitan turn of mind, he had not the racial -prejudices so largely predominant during the awful struggle in South -Africa which commenced at the end of the nineteenth century. - -Morton had taken intuitively to Jack, and after the interment he -whispered in the lad's ear, "Why don't you join us? The war is not -half over yet, and there is sure to be a lot of fighting. Ask your -father to allow you to come with us." - -"I'm afraid he won't," answered Jack. "I wanted to join Driscoll's -Scouts, but he refused, and I believe I have learned the first duty -of a soldier." - -"And pray, what is that?" queried the trooper. - -"Why, obedience," replied Jack. "I owe that duty to my father, who -is most kind to me. Besides, I hardly think it would be right for me -to leave mother and Mary just now. Mary is my sister. You saw her -when your fellows came here." - -"Well, all I can say, youngster, is that you are a brick and no -mistake," said the trooper enthusiastically. "What did you feel like -when the Boers came up? Timid?" - -"Hardly," remarked Jack laconically. "I was only sorry that they -didn't try to storm in broad daylight. I mean about noon, say." - -The trooper laughed outright at Jack's bold statement, and said, -"Well, I thought we New Zealanders were a cool set of fellows, but -you ostrich people take the cake." - -The pair were approaching the Kopje Farm, bringing up the rear-guard, -when Jack turned and asked, "You have been a soldier all your life, -haven't you?" - -The trooper laughed as he replied, "Oh dear no; I'm a working -jeweller by trade, and when at home am engaged by a large firm in -Auckland. When the mother country called for men, I volunteered for -service in South Africa. Why do you ask the question, my lad?" - -"I thought you had always been a soldier, for you look so like one," -answered Jack; and Morton felt a trifle elated, for what man or boy -exists who does not inwardly relish a small modicum of flattery? - -"You have nothing in the shape of diamonds, I suppose, in this part -of the country?" queried the trooper. "I have examined the clay in -several dongas as we came along, and from what I know of mineralogy, -I should say that diamonds are to be found in this district." - -"Crystals are common enough about here," answered Jack. "I have a -collection which I will show you when we reach the farm. Among the -pebbles are several fine garnets and amethysts. One of our 'boys,' -Pete by name, picked up a stone, which he found embedded in a sort of -bluish clay only a fortnight ago. It is too dull, however, for a -diamond." - -During the few minutes occupied in the return to the farm, Morton -thought deeply about what Jack had told him. He was a thorough -patriot, but since he had been in South Africa his mind had dwelt -largely on diamonds, for exaggerated accounts of the mineral -resources of the veldt had reached New Zealand. - -Mr. Lovat was a thoughtful man, and since the beginning of the war -had laid up big supplies of eatables in the shape of hams, bacon, -preserved meats, and tins of jam and marmalade. - -It seemed as though the Kopje Farm had been designedly prepared for a -siege, for in the big storeroom at the back of the house were -provisions calculated by Mr. Lovat to last at least twelve months, -and these were being added to. - -The major determined to allow his men a few hours' rest, and the -horses were off-saddled and given a good feed of corn, Jack Lovat -paying particular attention to Morton's mare, which was a magnificent -creature nearly seventeen hands high, and noted for its swiftness and -sureness of foot. - -Jack conducted his newly-made friend round the ostrich kraal, and -explained the various operations connected with the hatching of eggs -and the plucking of the birds' plumage, and the trooper evinced great -interest in the young settler's narration. - -The remains of poor Zacchary, the "boy" who was shot at the loophole, -had been reverently interred, and Jack and his friend were standing -alone beside the mound of freshly turned earth, when the latter -observed, "Oh, by the way, Jack, I would very much like to have a -look at that stone you spoke to me about." - -"You mean the pebble Pete gave to me?" asked Jack. - -"Yes, I think that is the nigger's name," replied Morton. - -To the trooper's great surprise, Jack instantly fired up. "No, that -won't do; we don't call our 'boys' niggers. They are our 'boys,' and -faithful ones they are, too." - -The New Zealander smiled at Jack's impetuosity, and remarked, "A very -good trait in your character. Only we have seen so many Kaffirs -since we have been in the country that all nice distinctions are -washed out, and we call the blacks generally 'niggers,'--not a very -gentlemanly expression, I admit." - -"Our 'boys' maybe are above the general run," said Jack, "but they -are tried and trusty ones. I shall never forget how they volunteered -to a man to defend this place, when they might have slunk away. -Their fate, too, if captured, they well knew, for they would have -been brutally sjambokked and then shot. The boys stood up as good as -the best of white men, and I admire them. Poor old Zacchary! Oh, -you spoke about the stone my father's native foreman gave me; I will -bring it;" and Jack walked across to the house, the New Zealander all -the while admiring the stalwart figure of the ostrich farmer's son. - -Jack presently returned, and handed the stone to Morton, who -carefully examined it with the eye of an expert. - -The pebble was about the size of a large hazel nut, with a -straw-coloured tint, and Morton twirled it between his finger and -thumb for quite a minute before speaking. - -[Illustration: "The Colonial cut the cords."] - -"Do you know what this pebble really is?" he asked. An unusual -brightness shone in his eyes as he spoke, and he glanced keenly at -Jack. - -"A pebble, of course," answered our hero. "Pete said he saw several -others of the same kind where he found this one." - -"And where did Pete find the stone?" queried the trooper. - -"In a donga about a couple of miles from here, just over the kopje," -answered Jack. - -"I'll tell you something later on," said Morton,--"a thing that will -probably astonish you." - -Jack Lovat's eyes opened rather wider than usual as he asked, "Is the -pebble a diamond?" - -"A genuine stone, my lad, and just as good in quality as the -Kohinoor. If you can lay your fingers on a dozen more such stones, -you can give up ostrich farming and go back to the old country." - -"If you are staying here any length of time, perhaps you will go with -me to the donga. Pete knows the spot to a nicety," said Jack. - -"We'll see," remarked the trooper. "I must look up the major and -learn his plans. I should like nothing better than to pay a visit to -this wonderful donga. You will excuse me now;" and he strode off -towards his troopers, who were engaged in rubbing down their horses. - -A hardier lot of warriors than the men of C Troop Auckland Rangers, -it would be difficult to find or even imagine. Their ages ranged -from twenty to forty, every man of them standing six feet and over. -Maoriland indeed had sent its best sons to do battle for the empire, -the centre of which is the little sea-girt isle whose ensign is the -Union Jack. - -The New Zealanders were right royally treated by the owner of the -Kopje Farm, and Major Salkeld determined to remain until evening, -when the horses would be up-saddled and preparations made for the -march to Springbokfontein. - -This was just what Morton desired, and at noon, guided by Jack Lovat -and Pete, the New Zealander set out for the donga where the Kaffir -had found the crystal. - -Each of the trio carried a rifle, with a supply of ammunition. The -ascent of the kopje was made with considerable difficulty; for path -there was none, and treacherous holes were abundant. - -"Be careful," said Jack, turning round to the Colonial. "A broken -leg, or maybe two, won't be very nice." - -"All right, my lad; I'm on the look-out for possible squalls," -answered the trooper. "I wonder if we shall come across any Boers." - -"That is hardly likely," observed Jack. "There are no roads beyond -the top of the kopje, and no farms for a dozen miles." - -The summit of the kopje was reached, when a grand panorama spread out -in front of Jack Lovat and his two companions. Rheni Kop, a rugged -kopje with a part of its summit shaped like the tower of a castle, -loomed some half-dozen miles away. Leading to the kopje were two -deep dongas, and it was to the one on the right that the trio were -bound. For many years the donga had been known as Diamond Valley. - -"Tell the 'boy' to lie down," said Morton, as soon as they arrived at -the top of the kopje; "and you as well, Jack," he went on. "I want -to have a peep round the country with my glasses. People don't look -well sometimes on the skyline." - -Jack and Pete at once obeyed instructions; and Morton, taking out his -glasses, for a few moments peered through them. - -"All's correct," he said, after replacing the glasses in their -leather case. "I don't think any doppers are about here. And now, -Jack, kindly instruct your 'boy' to show us the place where he found -the pebble." - -Jack said something to Pete in a low tone of voice, to which the -Kaffir replied, "All right, Baas Jack. Come along;" and leading the -way, Pete with careful steps made tracks towards the donga on the -right. - -Progress was necessarily slow, for boulders of rock, and little -gullies are not conducive to rapid locomotion. - -Onward the three tramped for a distance of half a mile, when Pete -halted at a part of the donga where its side rose almost -perpendicularly to a height of ten or twelve feet. - -The rock was composed of gneiss, along which bands of bluish-coloured -clay ran in horizontal layers. - -"Dis was de place where I found de glass pebble, Baas Jack," said the -Kaffir, pointing to a ledge of rock through which a small stream of -water trickled. - -Morton by this time had pulled out a large clasp knife and was -engaged in chipping off portions of the blue clay, which yielded -readily to the impact of the knife. - -The weapon struck something hard, and withdrawing the knife, Morton -cut away the clay surrounding it. After all, the object might only -be a fragment of rock, but the New Zealander's heart began to beat -faster than was its wont. - -"By heavens," he muttered, "if this turns out to be a klip (diamond)!" - -Presently the stone was in his hand, and he anxiously pared off the -fragments of blue clay adhering to it. - -"A crystallised stone, at any rate," he ejaculated, placing the find -in the breast pocket of his tunic. He again proceeded to excavate -more clay, when he was arrested by a cry from the Kaffir. "Look, -Baas Jack," exclaimed Pete. "De Boers! de Boers!" - -Morton's knife dropped out of his hand, and hastily picking up his -rifle, he queried, "Where are they, Pete?" - -"Down dere, baas," answered the Kaffir. "I saw de heads ob two Boers -peep ober, about five hundred yards away. I am sure dey must----" - -Pete's answer was prematurely finished, for the "pip-pop" of half a -dozen Mausers rang out, and the next moment Jack Lovat, with blanched -face, was lying on the ground, and a stream of blood trickled down -the left sleeve of his jacket. Jack's rifle slipped from his grasp, -and but for the safety catch, a bullet would probably have whizzed -near Morton; for the barrel rested on a fragment of rock, and the New -Zealander was directly in the line of fire. - -The latter bent over Jack, who was writhing with pain. It was only -the work of a moment for Morton to pick up his clasp knife and rip -open a seam of the garment. - -Jack, although a brave lad, winced, while the trooper examined the -wound. - -"Only a flesh hurt," said Morton; "lucky, though!" and swiftly -applying the field dressing, he bound up the injured limb. - -Another peculiar whistle heralded the approach of a shower of bullets -fired by unseen marksmen. - -"I guess we are in a tight hole now," soliloquised Morton. "We'll -have to get a place of shelter somehow. Can you manage to walk, my -lad?" addressing Jack. But our hero was already on his feet. - -"I'm all right now," answered Jack, although he looked far from being -in that desirable state. - -"We must get down to the donga as quickly as possible; there will be -more shelter. I'll carry you, Jack." - -"No, no!" said Jack. "I can manage to walk. You might take my -rifle, please, for my arm seems paralysed." - -With some difficulty, Jack Lovat and his two companions made tracks -for the kopje overlooking his father's farm, but long before the -summit over which they meant to pass on their hands and knees was -reached, Morton was bowled over by a bullet, and but for the friendly -protection of a shoulder-strap buckle, would undoubtedly have been -killed. As it was, the missile, after being deflected by the buckle, -lodged in the muscles of his upper right arm, and rendered that -member useless. - -Although in great pain, with blood trickling from the unstanched -wound, the New Zealander, forming the rear-guard, turned his face in -the direction of the Kopje Farm, and with tightened lips moved -forward towards the summit. - -They had not proceeded more than a hundred paces when the scout -stumbled and fell. - -The hardy frame of the New Zealander, stricken as he was, could not -stand the strain, and he tumbled over in a dead faint. - -"This is a predicament, Pete," said Jack, as he bent over the -prostrate figure. "We must, however, get to some place of shelter;" -and the brave lad looked around him. - -A natural cave opened its yawning mouth about fifty yards away, and -towards its friendly shelter Pete and Jack managed to drag their -still unconscious ally. - -The firing had ceased, but Jack had the conviction they were still -being watched by the enemy. - -The cave was the mouth of a depression such as is commonly seen among -the kopjes of South Africa, and with some difficulty, for Jack's arm -was powerless, the wounded trooper was carried inside. Morton soon -regained consciousness, but his mind was clouded, and he talked -somewhat incoherently. - -"Keep the beggars off, my lad," he said to Jack. "This confounded -wound has disabled me." - -Our hero asked for the loan of Morton's glasses, and creeping to the -mouth of the cave, glanced along the donga. - -He thought he saw objects above the rocks at a distance of some five -hundred paces, and came to the conclusion that what he saw were -slouch-hats worn by invading Boers. - -The slouch-hats seemed to advance. He glanced again, but boulders of -rock only met his gaze. Soon the hats grew larger in size and -number, and a mist spread before Jack's vision. Rheni Kop with its -castellated tower became a blurred image, even through the clear -atmosphere of the veldt. - -"Pete!" - -"Yes, Baas Jack," answered the Kaffir. - -"Come here, and tell me what you make of these things." - -The Kaffir crept to Jack's side, but refused the glasses which Jack -had handed to him. - -"My eyes are good, baas. I can see well widout dese," said Pete. -"We are done for, Baas Jack. More dan fifty ob de rascals are -coming. Shall I fire, baas?" - -"No, certainly not, Pete," replied Jack, whose wound had infused in -the lad's mind a certain amount of wholesome discretion. - -"Dey have de white flag up, baas," said Pete. "Dere be five comin' -dis way. Shall I fire?" and the eyes of the Kaffir sparkled. Pete -went on: "De foremost one is Piet Van Donnop, de brute who once -sjambokked me for nuthing. May I fire, baas? I can bring him down -like an aasvogel (vulture)." - -"Nothing of the sort, Pete," replied Jack. "We are powerless. Let -them come on." - -"All right, baas," said Pete. "If you say dat, they might as well -see me;" and the Kaffir slipped outside the cave, carrying his rifle -with him. - -"Come back, you fool!" cried Jack; but he was powerless to prevent -his father's native foreman from disobeying his command. - -Pete gazed with an air of nonchalance at the approaching figures, who -were now only three hundred yards away. The Kaffir stood leaning on -his rifle. His brows were knitted, and all the wild savagery of his -nature was aroused. - -The Boers halted, and presently two of their number, one of them -carrying a white handkerchief affixed to the barrel of his rifle, -advanced towards Pete. - -The latter glanced at the breech of his rifle, opened it, after which -his eyes enlarged in wonderment. The breech and magazine were empty. -Jack Lovat, who was peering over the edge of the cave, cried, "Drop -your rifle, Pete!" but the command was not obeyed. - -"Dey shall see no hands ob mine go up," muttered the Kaffir; "an' if -de Boer is Piet Van Donnop, he can look out." - -The strangers advanced, and the next moment Jack Lovat heard the cry, -"Hands up, 'boy,' or we'll fire!" - -Pete clutched his rifle, and advancing a few paces, delivered a -stroke with the butt of his weapon on the head of the foremost Boer, -and the latter tumbled over. - -A moment later, brave Pete, the Kaffir "boy," fell, pierced through -the brain by a bullet. He expired almost instantly, leaving his -young master and the wounded New Zealander helpless in the hands of -the Boers. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -A CAPE REBEL - -The Dutchman whom the unfortunate Pete had floored was Piet Van -Donnop, a son of the farmer of that name. Although stunned by the -blow administered by the Kaffir, he soon regained consciousness. - -A number of infuriated Boers stood around the mouth of the cave, -gesticulating wildly in the guttural Taal tongue. - -Jack and Morton could both be plainly seen. The ostrich farmer's son -had risen to his feet, and gazing steadily at a Boer who had covered -him with his rifle, cried, "Shoot, you coward!" - -The next moment would have been Jack's last, had not a powerful arm -struck up the rifle barrel. Piet Van Donnop saved our hero's life. - -"Oh, it is you, Lovat," said Piet, whose head was covered with a -bloodstained bandage. "What are you doing here, and who is your -companion? Ah! one of the rooibaatjes, I see." - -Morton struggled to his feet and faced the Boers. - -"I'm not a rooibaatje," said Morton, "but I am fighting in their -cause. You can do your worst. I'm not a hands-upper, or a -white-flagger either," he continued scornfully. - -The Boers withdrew a few paces, but not before securing the two -rifles and the bandoliers worn by Jack and Morton. - -A consultation took place among the burghers, and Jack's quick ears -detected among other sentences the words, "Shoot the dogs." Their -fate was evidently trembling in the balance, and Jack's thoughts -wandered to the Kopje Farm, his father, mother, and Mary. - -Then a bearded man of immense stature stepped into the cave and -approached Morton, who with a pallid face was leaning against a -boulder of rock. - -The Boer addressed Morton in good English. "To what regiment do you -belong, rooinek?" he demanded. - -"That is my business," answered the scout haughtily. "I decline to -answer." - -"Where are your fellows?" asked the Boer, without displaying any sign -of temper. - -"I decline to give you any information whatever," replied Morton. - -"A sjambok may elicit what I desire to know," said the Boer grimly. -"You are speaking now to Christian Uys. You have heard of me, I -suppose?" - -"Oh yes, I have," answered the scout. "We have been trying for some -time to locate you." - -"Pray be careful in what you say," said Uys. "You are not an -Englishman?" - -"I am not," said Morton, "but I fight under the British flag." - -"You belong to the New Zealand corps called Rangers," said Uys in a -peculiar tone of voice. "You see we burghers can beat your boasted -Intelligence Department. Bah! the British Government with their -hundreds of thousands of rooibaatjes cannot beat a few simple -farmers;" and Uys gave vent to a loud laugh. - -The Boer went on: "We want to catch a man of your regiment. Morton -is his name. You know him, I suppose?" - -"I decline to answer any of your questions," replied the trooper -firmly. - -"Well, when you reach your corps, you might tell this Morton, that if -we catch him, a sjambokking awaits him, followed by a dose of lead. -He has already killed five of my best men." - -Jack Lovat was listening with bated breath to the conversation, and -he wondered at the cool courage displayed by the New Zealander. - -Piet Van Donnop came forward in answer to something put to him by the -Boer leader. - -"How is your father, Jack?" asked Piet; "and I must not forget your -mother and little Mary. I suppose she is quite a woman by now." - -"They are all right," replied Jack. "I never thought you would have -joined the rebels, Piet." - -"And why not, Jack?" asked Piet. "They are my own flesh and blood, -and I am only fighting for my own. The commandant wishes me to ask -you how many troopers are quartered at the Kopje Farm? I ought to -have been there now, but I am acting as despatch rider for the -commando." - -The question was put in Dutch, a language Morton was not conversant -with. - -"The commandant had better find out for himself. You will get a warm -reception if you go to the Kopje Farm," replied Jack testily. - -"That is just what we are going to do," said Van Donnop. "I have my -brother Jan's death to avenge. I have heard he is dead." - -"But not on my father, Piet?" queried Jack. "His only fault is that -of being a loyalist. You had better tell the commandant to leave the -Kopje Farm severely alone, if his men don't want to receive a shock -from which they will not soon recover." - -Piet laughed at this, after which he said, "All right, Jack, you have -to come with us. Your friend will remain where he is until we come -back for him." - -"No, I won't leave him," cried Jack. Turning to Morton, he went on: -"They want me to go along with them and leave you here, but Jack -Lovat is hardly built that way." - -The trooper stared, and there was a world of meaning in the glance he -bestowed on Jack. The glance said quite plainly, "Go," and the look -was accentuated by a slight nod. - -[Illustration: "Pete delivered a stroke with his weapon."] - -"We must trouble you for those boots," said the commandant. "No, we -want nothing else. I see the spurs are pretty well worn. It won't -be policy on your part to offer any resistance. Hans Erasmus," -calling to one of his men, "you are badly in need of a pair of boots. -Take these," and he pointed to Morton's boots. The Boer, an unkempt -fellow, whose clothes were almost in rags, certainly was in need of -foot-gear, for the soles had left the uppers, and his toes protruded -from beneath the untanned leather. To Jack's surprise, Morton made -no resistance, but allowed the Boer to annex the boots. - -The latter soon transferred them to his own feet, and expressed his -satisfaction at the exchange by uttering a guttural "Ach!" - -"You are wounded?" said Uys, addressing Morton. - -"I would not be here talking to you if I had not been," replied the -trooper. "It is a mere scratch, though. You don't use expanding -bullets, or explosive ones, for that matter. It is very good of you, -I'm sure." - -"Don't be sarcastic, my good man. You are quite sure you can make -yourself comfortable till we come back?" - -"I shall be all right," replied Morton. "The sooner you leave me the -better I shall like it." - -Commandant Uys smiled. "You are rather a humorous sort of fellow. -May I ask you one question?" - -"As you please," answered Morton gruffly. - -"How long will it take for you to reach the Kopje Farm? Don't stare, -my man. We are pretty well informed as to all movements made by the -rooibaatjes. I should ask you to unstrip your tunic, but that would -be a waste of energy, because you Colonials who act as scouts carry -no identity cards. I am afraid we must inconvenience you for a -little time. You shall not, however, go hungry. Stephanus, a piece -of biltong for the rooinek. You will like it, for it is good fare -while serving on the veldt." - -Saying this, Commandant Uys strode out of the cave to where his -burghers were standing near their horses. - -A minute later, Morton, whether against his wish or not, found his -ankles firmly secured by a piece of hide rope. His hands had been -left unbound, but without a knife it was an impossibility to set -himself free, and that instrument had been taken from him. - -Jack Lovat was compelled to mount one of the spare horses belonging -to the sections of the commando, and to his infinite satisfaction -found that the horses' heads were turned in the direction of Rheni -Kop, instead of the Kopje Farm. A bullet between his ribs from the -rifle of a Britisher was too unpleasant a possibility to contemplate, -so he felt devoutly thankful when he found himself proceeding in an -opposite direction. - -Glances full of meaning had passed between Jack and Morton, and the -latter knew that his boy-friend would leave no stone unturned to -assist him from his unenviable position. - -After leaving the cave, the Boers rode straight on Rheni Kop, Piet -Donnop being alongside our friend Jack. - -"What brings you here, Lovat?" asked Piet in English, and speaking in -a whisper. "Diamond Valley seems to have an attraction for you." - -"And for you as well, I should say," retorted Jack. - -"Looking after gold, or what?" queried Piet. - -"I was not aware that gold is to be found in these parts," answered -Jack. "What do you mean by roaming about the country, robbing and -molesting peaceable inhabitants? Do you know anything about the five -hundred sovereigns my father lost only yesterday?" - -A flush spread over the Dutchman's swarthy face as he answered, "I -have had none of Mr. Lovat's sovereigns." - -"Then you know about the way my father has been treated?" Jack asked. - -Piet evaded the question, and merely said, "I am sorry we came up -with you to-day, Lovat. I, at least, bear you no ill-will; but I -would strongly advise you to keep your tongue still and ask no ugly -questions. It is unfortunate that we met you. Does your wound pain -you?" - -"Only a slight stiffness and soreness inconveniences me--that is -all," answered Jack. "By the way, where are we bound for?" - -"Number one, ugly question," replied Piet. "I may as well tell you -that you won't see Kopje Farm to-night, and most probably not -to-morrow." - -"And what about my friend whom you have tied up in the cave? You -will surely never leave him to starve?" queried Jack. - -"By no means," answered Piet, with a laugh. "He will be released in -good time--that is, when the commandant thinks fit. Christian Uys -has something up his sleeve." The last sentence was uttered in a -whisper. - -"And what is that, Van Donnop?" - -"Ugly question, number two," was the Dutchman's response. "You know -what you Britishers say, 'The third time is catching-time.' I am -right, I suppose?" - -After that, Jack Lovat held his peace, but did not forget to use his -eyes. Life on the veldt had taught him many lessons. Like the Red -Indians of the western prairies, Jack had studied rocks, flowers, the -sun, moon, and stars in their various phases, and in veldt-craft was -becoming a past-master. - -For an hour the commando rode ahead, and when halted by order of -Christian Uys, had passed round Rheni Kop, which now stood four or -five miles on their left flank. - -The Boers debouched on a grassy plain, very limited in extent, and -surrounded by little flat-topped kopjes. - -To Jack's immense surprise, he saw forty or fifty waggons and Cape -carts on the plain. Several hundred horses and many head of oxen -were grazing on the veldt, and at least two hundred additional -burghers were in the laager. - -These formed the major portion of the formidable Christian Uys's -commando, and Jack Lovat as he passed into the laager thought he had -never seen such a motley crew. - -Many of the burghers glanced at Jack from beneath their bushy -eyebrows, bestowing ominous scowls on the young Britisher, which he -answered with a haughty stare. - -The burghers off-saddled, and after giving their horses a feed of -mealies, began to refresh themselves with a repast of biltong, -biscuits, and jam. - -Jack was placed under a guard, one of whom he was glad to find was -Piet Van Donnop. Under his protection our hero knew that he would -receive no ill-treatment. - -Van Donnop insisted upon Jack receiving medical treatment from a -burgher who had walked a Berlin hospital, but whose indiscretions had -caused him to be expelled before he took his degree. - -Dirck Hartmann, for such was the medico's name, proved a very -agreeable sort of young fellow, and showed great kindness to Jack. -He examined the boy's wound, and found that a bullet had passed -through the fleshy inner portion of the arm, luckily without touching -an artery. As Jack said, it was a scratch--an ugly one it must be -said; but the prompt application of the field dressing by Morton had -minimised the loss of blood. The limb felt stiff and sore--that was -all. - -"You will see that this young fellow has good treatment," said -Hartmann to Piet Van Donnop, as he left Jack. - -"Certainly, doctor," was Piet's reply. "He is in safe hands with -me;" for which Jack thanked him. - -As the sun was on the point of dropping below the horizon, the Boer -sentries were planted on the kopjes surrounding the plateau, and Jack -was ordered to crawl into a waggon, on the floor of which were spread -several layers of empty mealie bags. - -Before he went to roost, Jack's observant eyes had been busy. He -noticed with keen interest the picketing of the horses in the -immediate vicinity, and deep satisfaction sprang up in his breast as -he thought of a sharp bowie knife which he carried in the leg of one -of his high boots. - -He had made a strong resolve to get away from the laager before -morning broke, and he determined that nothing short of utter -disablement would prevent him from accomplishing his purpose. - -The resolve was strengthened by a conversation he overheard between -two burghers, soon after darkness fell. Jack's thoughts were passing -between the bowie knife, secreted in his boot, and the picketed -horses. Among the latter was a beautiful roan, evidently the -property of a field-cornet or other officer. - -His mind also wandered to the Kopje Farm. He wondered what they were -doing, and if Major Salkeld and his men had departed for -Springbokfontein. Then he thought of Morton lying bound in the cave -in Diamond Valley. - -Jack had stretched himself on the mealie sacks when he heard his -family name mentioned, and his ears were all attention in a moment. - -"Hans," said a voice in a low whisper, "the rooineks will have no -chance at all. Johann Klaasen has just come in, and reports that -thirty of them are leaving the Kopje Farm for Springbokfontein in the -early dawn to-morrow. That is good news, for every man of them will -be shot down before they have proceeded two miles on their journey. -Half of the commando--one hundred and fifty strong--have left for -Langeman's Nek, where there is abundant shelter for our men. These -New Zealanders boast about never requiring quarter. They will get -none;" and a low chuckle followed. - -Jack Lovat's breath came thick and fast. He knew Langeman's Nek very -well, and as the speaker hinted, he knew it formed an admirable place -of ambush. - -The minutes seemed to pass on leaden wings to the British youth so -strangely confined in the camp of a savage enemy. Jack's mind was -made up. He would use his utmost endeavour to escape from the -laager, and if he could not secure the roan mare, make his way on -foot to the Kopje Farm, provided no other mount came in his way. - -At last complete silence reigned in the laager, and Jack cautiously -raised himself on his elbow and peered over the side of the waggon. -His sense of hearing was overstrained by his peculiar and dangerous -position. He thought he heard the flap of a rifle-strap as if it -struck the barrel of a Mauser rifle, and lay quietly down again. - -A few minutes later, he again pulled himself up, and without noise -clambered over the side of the waggon, then dropped on the ground. -His wounded arm caused him much pain, but he set his teeth and bore -it bravely. The night was a black one, but his keen eyesight -informed him that the picketed horses had been removed from the -vicinity of the waggon. - -Jack fell on his hands and knees, and crawled forward, cautiously -winding his way between the wheels of several waggons. - -At last he was clear of the laager, and the ring of pickets only had -to be passed. Still on his hands and knees he crept, his heart -beating violently, and sharp pains darting through his temples. If -only he could get safely through, he would trust to Providence to -guide him safely to the Kopje Farm. - -A gaunt figure, standing by a horse, attracted his attention, and a -voice called out in Dutch, "Who goes there?" The question was -followed by an ominous clicking sound. Jack still crawled forward, -his right hand now gripping the bowie knife. His strength was almost -exhausted, and the pain in his arm increased in severity. - -With rare courage and determination, Jack sprang to his feet, plunged -the bowie knife into the chest of the bewildered sentry, who -immediately fell, at the same time relaxing his grasp of the horse's -reins. It took but a moment for Jack to mount, and digging his -spurless boots into the sides of the commandeered property, he darted -across the veldt. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -A WEIRD ADVENTURE - -For a couple of miles Jack rode hard across the veldt--not without -risk, for several rifle shots rang out, and bullets whizzed -perilously near his ears. His escape had evidently been discovered. - -When he pulled up his panting steed, he had completely lost his -bearings. All that he could do was to wait for the rising of the -moon, when he trusted to his knowledge of veldtcraft to guide him to -the Kopje Farm. - -The horse which he rode was flecked with foam, and the poor brute -trembled in every limb. - -"Well, I reckon I'm in a fine pickle now," muttered Jack, as he -dismounted. Slipping his arm into the horse's bridle, he led the -animal towards a small kopje, whose summit was indistinctly lined -against the dark sky. - -He had an idea that he had seen the kopje before, but was not sure. -He would wait a little longer. - -The base of the kopje was fringed with a growth of various kinds of -bushes, and the fear of tumbling into unseen depressions on the -veldt, and prospective chances of broken limbs, made him very -cautious. - -The welcome light of the moon soon spread over the veldt, and Jack -examined the saddlery on the back of his newly acquired steed. - -To his great joy, he found a holster-case attached to the saddle, and -inside the case was a revolver loaded in every chamber. He was now -provided with a means of defence, if attacked by man or beast. - -Once or twice, he had heard what seemed to be low rumblings of -thunder; but the sky was clear, and the wonderful stars glittered -with a brightness only seen in Southern latitudes. - -He tried to locate his position, but had to dolefully confess to -himself that he was lost, and that he could not recognise any spot on -the landscape. - -The horse was still trembling in every limb, as though some unknown -terror were creeping over it. He tried to drag the beast forward, -but it refused to budge, and a strange fear crept through Jack's mind. - -He had had a little experience of the king of beasts, and he came to -the conclusion that the horse had scented danger in the shape of -lions. - -His fears were soon realised, for a loud roar burst upon his ears, -and two pairs of shining yellow eyes peered at him from beneath a big -mimosa bush. - -His heart sank as it were into his boots, and he dragged his horse's -head round. His first thought was to mount and make all haste from -the spot, but his limbs seemed temporarily paralysed. - -The growling increased, beginning with a blood-curdling wail that -ended in a terrific roar. - -The ground seemed to tremble beneath Jack's feet, and he gave himself -up for lost. The opposition of armed men had no terrors for Jack -Lovat, but he could not contemplate with equanimity the probability -of being devoured piecemeal by infuriated lions. - -He retreated slowly, still leading the horse, but keeping his eyes -fixed on the globes of fire which seemed to advance. - -Two long tawny forms began a crouching march towards the ostrich -farmer's son, and Jack clutched the revolver with a nervous grip, his -forefinger pressing lightly on the trigger. If the horse should -happen to break away, all would be up. - -The tawny forms were but a few paces away, crouching low down, as -though about to make a spring, so grasping the pommel of the saddle, -with an energy born of despair, Jack vaulted into the seat, and set -forth at a rapid gallop. - -His spirits rose as he sped onwards, and he was congratulating -himself upon his very narrow escape, when his horse stumbled and fell -on the veldt, with a terrible crash, throwing Jack over its head. - -Our hero thought that every bone in his body had been broken, but he -managed to stumble to his feet. - -To his horror, he found that his horse's right fore-leg was broken, -and the poor beast unable to stand. - -The two hideous forms were following, and even now were only a few -yards distant. - -Jack prayed fervently for deliverance, and before he could realise -what was happening, the fierce brutes had sprung upon the horse, -which was screaming in agony. - -He could hear a terrible crunching sound as the lions began munching -their yet alive prey. - -He dared not expend a shot, and deeming prudence to be the better -part of valour, he left the unfortunate horse to the cruel mercies of -the lions, and ran as fast as he could across the veldt, trusting -that the savage beasts would satiate their hunger upon the horse's -carcass, and refrain from pursuing him. - -He felt sick and weary. His wound had induced a fever, which made -him somewhat light-headed. He stopped running, and trudged doggedly -along, in what direction he knew not. - -How long he wandered he never knew, but he halted when he came to a -donga; for a fire, burning brightly, pulled him up. - -He saw the glare of the fire when some distance from it, and -conjectured that a party of Boers or British Irregulars on trek had -encamped for the night in the donga. - -The figures of several men, evidently asleep, were seated round the -fire, while some distance away from the latter, a number of horses -were picketed, and grazing upon the sparse grass. - -Jack's eyesight was good, despite the rough experience he had -recently gone through, and lying flat on his stomach, he watched the -strange spectacle. - -An uncouth-looking figure emerged from the gloom, and going towards -the sleepers, awakened two of them. - -"Changing sentries," soliloquised Jack. "They are not our -fellows--Boers, without a doubt." - -And Boers they were. Jack had stumbled across a patrol of the enemy, -and a fear of again falling into their hands crept across his mind. - -Fear soon gave way to certainty, for one of the lately aroused -Boers--a thick-set, unwieldy man--came stalking towards the place -where Jack was lying. - -A Mauser rifle reposed in the hollow of the Boer's left arm, and -gleams of light played on the barrel. - -The Dutchman nearly stepped upon Jack, before he saw our hero; then -bringing his rifle to the present, the Boer cried, "Who goes there? -Speak, or I'll fire!" This was said in deep guttural Dutch, and the -next moment Jack found himself again a prisoner. - -Our hero felt thankful that he had not fallen into the hands of -Transvaalers, who, justly or unjustly, bore a shady reputation for -cruelty. - -"Who and what are you?" demanded the Boer. "A rooinek?" The tones -of the Free Stater were not unkind. - -"Are there any more of you?" the sentry continued, glancing warily -around. - -"I am alone," replied Jack, who when he saw the Boer advancing -towards him, threw his revolver away. - -"Alone?" said the Boer. "And why are you prowling about here at this -time of the night? You speak our language well. Are you one of us, -or what?" - -Jack made no reply, and the Boer commanded him to move towards the -camp-fire, bringing up the rear. - -Here the Boer roused up a man, dressed in somewhat superior clothing -to his fellows, and whom he addressed as Veldt-cornet. - -"A prisoner, Veldt-cornet," said the Boer. - -The officer rubbed his eyes and said somewhat sleepily, "A rooinek, -Maartens?" - -"He is an Englishman, I think, Veldt-cornet," answered the Boer; but -no amount of questioning could elicit from Jack his proper name and -place of residence. If this were part of Christian Uys's commando, -his identity would soon be discovered, and then good-bye to life -itself. - -"Keep an eye on him, Maartens," said the veldt-cornet, with a yawn; -and the officer rolling himself up in his blanket, sank back on the -veldt, and was soon wrapped in a profound slumber. - -The fire was now burning low--a lucky circumstance for Jack Lovat, or -his wounded condition would have been seen, and unwelcome inquiries -made. - -"Lie down and rest, youngster," said the Boer sentry; and Jack obeyed. - -Our hero's mind was now running on horses, but that another chance of -escape would present itself seemed impossible. - -Dawn would soon break, and he knew that if the other portion of -Christian Uys's commando should come up, all would be over, and a -Mauser bullet would end his cares and sufferings. - -Several of the Boers were awake and glancing at Jack with looks of -wonderment. Their curiosity, however, had evidently been appeased by -Maartens, and seated round the smouldering embers of the fire, they -began to converse in low whispers, and Jack overheard such words as -"drift," "kloof," and "schantze"; and when the words "New Zealanders" -were pronounced he knew that the patrol were on the look-out for the -Auckland Rangers. - -The cold was intense, and Jack began to shiver violently. One of the -Boers seeing this, kindly handed our hero a blanket and told him to -make himself comfortable. - -An hour before dawn the whole party were astir, and the grateful -aroma of freshly made coffee filled Jack's nostrils. - -Additional fires had been lighted, and over these several Boers were -busily engaged in grilling strips of biltong. - -Jack's appetite for the moment had left him, and he turned away from -the roughly cooked beef which was offered him. The odour was -nauseating to Jack's hypersensitive olfactory nerves. - -He did not, however, refuse the coffee, which imparted a welcome -warmth to his chilled frame. - -The veldt-cornet was wide enough awake now, and after the hastily -prepared meal had been discussed, he turned to Jack, whom he -cross-examined very closely. - -"You come from this neighbourhood?" queried the veldt-cornet. - -Jack shook his head; and the Boer officer went on-- - -"Have you been serving against us in the field?" - -"I am not a soldier," answered Jack. "I am a settler's son. All -that we desire is peace; we want nothing more." - -The veldt-cornet laughed as he said, "There will soon be peace, boy, -when all the rooineks have been kicked into the sea. You are -wounded, I see. Where did you receive your wound? In a fight?" - -"It is nothing--a mere scratch I managed to get in an accident," -replied Jack, assuming a cheerful air. - -"Then you will join us, youngster?" queried the Boer leader. - -"I would rather be excused," answered Jack. "I want to get to -Springbokfontein." - -"You will reach there in good time," said the veldt-cornet. "In the -interval you might do worse than see a little service under the -vierkeleur. What say you? We can give you a mount and a rifle. -Maartens, how are we off for horses?" - -Maartens shrugged his shoulders as he replied, "We have a couple of -led horses, Veldt-cornet, the roan mare, and the young horse." - -"Then let him take the roan," observed the officer. - -"By the way, youngster," he continued, "have you seen anything of a -troop of rooineks--New Zealanders--in the district?" - -"I understand that some are in this part of the country," answered -Jack. - -"Well, if you will go along with us, you shall see them before long," -said the veldt-cornet. "We want to catch a fellow named Morton. The -commandant will give a thousand pounds for the fellow, dead or alive." - -Jack laughed to himself as he thought of the New Zealander's narrow -escape, and wondered what the latter was doing, and whether he had -made good his escape from the Diamond Valley or not. - -"You know Springbokfontein, I suppose?" asked the Boer officer, after -a pause. - -"I have been there several times," was Jack's reply. - -"Is the place strongly guarded?" queried the veldt-cornet, who was a -namesake and relative of President Steyn. - -"You ask me a question that I cannot answer," replied Jack. "There -is certainly a town guard, but whether they are any good or not is -more than I can say. However, you had better try your luck against -the town." - -"That is just what we are going to do, after we get hold of these New -Zealanders. You know the Bank at Springbokfontein?" queried Steyn. - -"I know very little about banks," answered Jack somewhat brusquely; -and then he nearly made an ass of himself by blurting out the fact -that his father had been robbed of five hundred pounds intended for -deposit in the bank under discussion. - -"It is said that a hundred thousand sovereigns are reposing in the -Bank," said the veldt-cornet, with a laugh, "mostly belonging to the -people who asked us to come to their help and then showed the white -feather." - -"White flag, did you say?" asked Jack grimly. "I thought only Boers -were addicted to that practice." - -"Have a care, youngster," said Steyn warningly, as he tapped the butt -end of his rifle with a meaning glance in his eyes. "It is the -rooineks, not Free Staters or Transvaalers." - -Jack felt that metaphorically speaking he was putting his foot in it, -and intimated he was only having a joke. - -"A delicate subject to joke about, youngster," observed Steyn. "You -know the countryside?" he added. - -"Not this immediate neighbourhood," replied Jack. - -"And what takes you so far from home?" queried the veldt-cornet. - -"We settlers hunt sometimes," suggested Jack. - -"But not without weapons. Where is your rifle?" demanded Steyn. - -"The country is under martial law," replied Jack. - -"The rooineks' law," sneered Steyn. - -"As you say," observed Jack diplomatically. - -"You mean that you have lost or mislaid your rifle?" queried Steyn. - -"I had an adventure with lions," said Jack. "I----" Our hero -hesitated, and then added, "I will join you." - -"Spoken like a man!" cried the veldt-cornet. "Maartens, the roan -mare and a Mauser for the youngster, before he changes his mind." - -"The mare is quiet, I trust?" asked Jack. - -"You shall try her. See, it is nearing daybreak. At sunrise you -shall satisfy yourself as to your mount." - -The sounds of clattering hoofs arrested the officer's attention, and -a Boer presently rode up. - -"The veldt-cornet?" inquired the new-comer. - -"I am here," said Steyn. "You have ridden over from the commandant, -Du Plessis?" - -"I have ridden on the spur, Veldt-cornet," answered the Boer. "Du -Boisson was stabbed last night by a young rooinek whom we caught -yesterday, just as you marched out of camp. The rooinek has escaped, -and----" - -"He is here," said Steyn, and he looked round for Jack; but the -ostrich farmer's son was already on the roan mare's back and scudding -like the wind down the donga. - -"The devil!" cried Steyn. "No, don't shoot; it might bring a -hornet's nest around our ears. He has gone in an opposite direction -to that from which we expect the New Zealanders. Maartens, you were -too premature in bringing the mare;" and Maartens had the good sense -to look abashed. - -"He is the rooinek who killed Du Boisson," said Du Plessis. "Van -Donnop knows him well. He is the son of an ostrich farmer named -Lovat." - -"The man from whom the five hundred sovereigns were taken?" exclaimed -Steyn excitedly. - -"The same, Veldt-cornet," replied the Boer scout. - -"And it was at this brat's father's farm where some of our men were -repulsed only two nights ago," said Steyn, with growing excitement. -"I wish Maartens had shot him as he lay on the veldt." - -"I had rather he belonged to us, Veldt-cornet," observed Maartens. -"He is a slim youth, and, if his heart had been in the right place, -would have been of great service to the cause." - -"Yes, maybe, Maartens," growled the officer. "Now that he has got -away, he will alarm the whole country." - -"Van Donnop says that the New Zealanders will come this way," said -Maartens, pointing to the upper end of the donga. "The rooinek must -move on his left flank, as the country is very broken and cut up. -However, you will see. We shall catch them in a trap, and then march -straight for Springbokfontein and Port Nolloth. I am quite right." - -"You always had good sense, Maartens; but if we catch this young -Lovat, a bullet will be too good for him; a piece of stout rope and a -tree--the aasvogel shall do the rest. The men have all breakfasted?" - -"All have had coffee and biltong, Veldt-cornet," answered Maartens, -who was acting as second in command of the patrol, which as things -went, might have been termed a reconnaissance in force. - -Let us follow the fortunes of Jack Lovat, the daring boy-fighter of -the Kopje Farm. - -While the veldt-cornet was talking to Burgher Du Plessis, Maartens -brought up the roan mare, and acting on the spur of the moment, Jack, -while pretending to examine the horse's head-gear, sprang on its -back, and as narrated, sped like the wind to the other end of the -donga. - -His breath came hard and fast, and every moment he expected being -struck by a bullet. He wondered what the sensation would be like if -a missile hit him, but luckily he was spared the experience. - -No sooner did he reach the entrance to the donga than something -seemed to whisper to him, "You must keep to the left, for there lie -home and safety." - -The mare was a gallant one, and full of mettle, for with long strides -she rushed gamely forward, widening the gap between Jack and her late -owner. - -The ostrich farmer's son never drew rein until a couple of miles -distant from the Boer laager, when he eased up, and after glancing -round, dismounted--taking care to retain a firm grasp on the reins. - -"Thank Heaven, I am free once more," said Jack to himself. "And now -for the Kopje Farm!" - -Several landmarks seemed familiar to him. One of the kopjes he -remembered as being a spot much favoured by baboons, ugly grinning -apes that lived in the caves with which the kopje abounded. - -The Kopje Farm he knew lay some few miles to the south of the hill, -so he moved forward towards a donga which skirted the right base of -the kopje. - -His attention was arrested by a sight which sent the blood rushing to -his heart, causing a choking sensation that almost stifled him. - -About a mile distant he discerned a troop of mounted men advancing in -his direction. - -"They are Boers!" ejaculated Jack aloud. "I've escaped from one fire -only to fall into another." - -He was in the middle of the donga when he first caught sight of the -strangers who were advancing over the open veldt. - -Jack watched the progress of the horsemen, who suddenly halted. - -Evidently a fresh order had been given, for presently they wheeled to -the right and moved on in an oblique direction. - -"They are going straight towards Langeman's Nek," thought Jack; but -his quick eyes detected something he had not seen before. - -"They are our fellows!" cried he,--"the Auckland Rangers. I know -them by the feathers in their slouch-hats;" and without more ado he -rode forward, and clearing the donga, galloped forward at full speed -in the direction of the horsemen. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -THE AMBUSH - -When Jack and his two companions did not return to the Kopje Farm, -much speculation was indulged in as to their fate by the men of the -Auckland Rangers. It had been the intention of Major Salkeld to -saddle up in the afternoon, but the non-appearance of Morton altered -his plans, and a couple of hours were spent in reconnoitring by his -scouts, but without success. - -One of the Kaffirs asserted that he had heard shots fired in the -Diamond Valley about noontide, but this statement led to no -elucidation of the mystery connected with the disappearance of -Trooper Morton and Jack. - -Mr. Lovat, too, was uneasy. He knew that his son possessed an -adventurous nature, for Jack during his hunting expeditions had been -several times absent from home for a couple of days at a time, but it -had always been with his father's permission. - -Accommodation for the troopers was provided in various parts of the -farm buildings, while Major Salkeld partook of Mr. Lovat's -hospitality in the farmer's private apartments. - -Sentries were posted at various points around the farm, and with -anxious hearts the ostrich farmer and his wife retired to rest, but -not to sleep. Mr. Lovat's fear was that the three missing ones had -fallen into the hands of the Boers. - -Dawn at last broke on the veldt. The night had passed without any -alarms, and the quietness and solitude seemed oppressive. - -Mr. Lovat and the major were early astir, the former directing the -"boys" in the serving out of corn to the troopers' horses, while the -latter looked after his men. - -The little force were able to replenish their bandoliers from the -ample stores which Mr. Lovat had in stock, so that each man now -carried two hundred rounds of cartridges. - -Soon after dawn, the troopers moved off, after taking a hearty -farewell of their host and hostess, not forgetting Mary, with whom -the Irregulars left many little mementos in the shape of gold coins -of the realm, and which they insisted on her accepting--although -against her father's wish. - -Their route would be by Langeman's Nek, a defile to the west of Rheni -Kop, and Major Salkeld had promised his men some fighting before they -joined the bulk of the regiment. - -The road was very difficult, and progress consequently was slow. -Scouts were thrown forward in front and on the flanks, but for a few -miles nothing unusual occurred. - -The advance guard was suddenly seen to halt and dismount. - -Shortly afterwards, one of the scouts signalled, "Halt! remain where -you are. We are falling back." - -Major Salkeld instantly halted his men, and ordered them to see to -the magazines of their rifles. - -The four scouts in advance presently came riding in, and the leader -at once made his report to the major. - -"Sir," began the trooper, "I fancy we shall see some fighting before -long. The country in front is admirably suited for an ambush, and a -horseman is rapidly approaching. Look, here he comes!" - -Round the bend of a kopje, some seven hundred yards away, a horseman -was seen galloping at full speed towards them. - -The major at once placed his glasses to his eyes and gazed earnestly -through them, after which he rode a little ahead. - -"He is quite a youngster," exclaimed the major. "Why, it is the son -of our worthy friend, the ostrich farmer, up at the Kopje Farm;" and -the next moment Jack Lovat pulled up, mounted on a beautiful mare, -which was flecked with foam. - -"Sir!" gasped Jack, for he was almost breathless, "you are ambushed. -Nearly two hundred Boers are waiting in Langeman's Nek for you. Go -back at once, sir." - -Jack's shirt and jacket were stained with blood, and Major Salkeld -with some anxiety asked, "But you are wounded, my boy. What does -this mean, and where do you come from?" - -"Excuse me, sir," said Jack, "but we must retire into the donga. The -Boers will soon be covering me with their rifles. If you had gone -much farther, all of you would have been killed!" - -The major wheeled round, and followed by Jack Lovat, returned -leisurely to where his men, mounted on their horses, were awaiting -him. - -"Right about!" shouted the officer; "by fours retire to the donga;" -and the troopers obeyed. - -The retirement was effected in perfect order, without a shot being -fired by the unseen enemy. Then the troop was halted, and Jack Lovat -told his story in a few simple words. - -The major opened his eyes in amazement as Jack narrated his -adventures during the previous day and the past night. - -"And you say that Morton is shut up in a cave in the Diamond Valley?" -asked the officer. - -"He was there yesterday afternoon, sir," replied Jack, "and I'm going -to him as soon as I can. The Boers bound his ankles with wet hide. -He may have been able to get out and crawl a little way, but I'm -afraid not." - -"And this commando of Boers, where is it?" demanded the major. - -"The main body was about half a dozen miles from here last night, and -a lot of burghers are holding Langeman's Nek, waiting for you now. -I'm awfully hungry. Can you give me anything to eat?' - -"Certainly, my lad," cried the major cheerily; and he took from his -own haversack some sandwiches Mrs. Lovat had made specially for him, -and handed them to Jack, who ate them with great relish. - -For a few moments the major was undecided what to do; but after a -little deliberation, he ordered his men to dismount. That done, he -despatched a couple of scouts to the mouth of the donga. - -The donga in which the troopers were now posted was about half a mile -in length, and admirably situated for defence, if held by a fairly -strong party. In the centre the ground, mostly of a rocky nature, -was much broken, affording shelter for twice the number of men now -under Major Salkeld's command, and it was towards this part that the -officer determined to retreat. Jack's first inquiries naturally were -about the inmates of the Kopje Farm, and he felt relieved when the -major assured him that everything was right at the old homestead. - -"One of the Kaffirs is missing, though," said the officer. "I forget -his name. Symonds," turning to an officer, "what is the name of the -nigger who went off soon after sunset last night, and had not turned -up this morning when we left?" - -"Moses, I think it is, sir," answered the trooper. - -Jack Lovat stared somewhat rudely at the Irregular and said, "I -thought as much! We had him from Van Donnop's. The beggar deserves -shooting." - -Moses was the only shady character in Mr. Lovat's establishment. -Before the outbreak of the war, Moses, a Kaffir of immense strength -and stature, had been a most exemplary character; but until news of -the small disaster to the British in the armoured-train incident at -Kraipan reached the remote district of Orangefontein, Moses on -various occasions had asked permission to visit Van Donnop's farm, -ostensibly for the purpose of seeing a negress employed by the Dutch -farmer, and--Mrs. Lovat possessing as she did a sentimental -nature--his requests were always acceded to. - -"And so Moses has left the Kopje Farm, sir?" queried Jack. "It looks -somewhat fishy. Upon my word, it seems as though Moses had some hand -in the disappearance of my father's money." - -The New Zealanders reached the broken ground and dismounted, and -Major Salkeld awaited the appearance of his scouts, who were now -hidden by a bend in the donga. - -Presently the 'pip-pop' of Mauser fire was heard in the direction of -Langeman's Nek, and the scouts bending low in their saddles, came at -a rattling pace towards the place where their comrades were grimly -and silently awaiting events. - -One of the scouts, Burnand by name, had a ghastly expression on his -face, and it was evident that he had been severely wounded, when he -dismounted from his horse, as he tottered and fell on the ground. - -"A little water, sir, if you please," he gasped, looking at his -riding-breeches, which were drenched with blood. "I've been hit. -Take my bandolier, for I'm----" - -The trooper never finished the sentence, for when a water-bottle was -being held to his lips, he gave a sigh, and died. He had been hit by -a bullet in the stomach. - -"Your report, Fielding, quick," said the major, addressing the other -scout. - -"The enemy are closing in on the mouth of the donga, sir," said the -trooper. "If a dozen men are at once hurried forward, they may be -able to check them." - -"Now, men," cried the major, "I want no volunteers; there is no time -for that. Sergeant Oliphant, pick twenty men quickly. The rest will -remain here." - -"All right, sir," replied the sergeant, a quiet-looking man of -thirty; and in a few seconds the non-commissioned officer, much in -the same way as schoolboys pick a team of cricketers, selected twenty -New Zealanders, who, headed by Major Salkeld and the sergeant, moved -forward at a gallop towards the mouth of the donga overlooking -Langeman's Nek. - -"No; stay where you are," said the officer in answer to Jack Lovat's -appeal. Major Salkeld's command to our hero was so peremptory that -Jack was obliged to obey. - -"Get your horses into shelter," were the major's last words to a -corporal. "Possibly we may have to retire to this spot." - -At breakneck speed Major Salkeld and his men hurried to the mouth of -the donga. A volley of bullets, which luckily emptied no saddles, -was the welcome they received. - -On each side of the donga stretched low ranges of kopjes, diminutive -in size, but offering good shelter from fire which might be directed -from the donga. - -The major at once dismounted his men, and four troopers led back the -horses to a distance of some two hundred paces, on the instructions -of the officer. - -The remaining troopers fell prone on the ground, after which they -crawled forward, sheltering themselves behind big stones and mimosa -scrub. - -"We cannot afford to lose a cartridge, men," cried the major. "Every -bullet must find its mark, or we are done for." - -"All right, sir," muttered more than one man; "we'll see to that;" -and with strained vision they glanced along the kopjes, from which -little spurts of flame occasionally issued--heralds of the coming -storm. - -"These beggars know how to fight," muttered the major. "No wonder -our men were shot down in such numbers at Magersfontein." - -The Boers blazed away at the tiny handful of men belonging to the -Rangers, with scarcely any reply on the latter's part. The -Irregulars were well up in the art of fire discipline, and did not -mean to waste a cartridge. Occasionally a slouch-hat peeped from its -hiding-place on a kopje, and the report of a Lee-Enfield testified to -the quickness of eyesight possessed by the men from Maoriland. - -The second casualty among the New Zealanders happened to a trooper -named Jordan, a miner, possessed of an adventurous spirit, who, -spotting an excellent target in the shape of a Boer whose head and -shoulders were exposed, raised himself on his elbows in order to get -a better sight, and as he fired, received a couple of bullets in his -brain. Without an exclamation, the unfortunate New Zealander rolled -over on his side--a dead man. - -The spurts of flame from the kopjes came nearer, until at last a -terrible cross fire was poured on the isolated position held by the -few Irregulars. - -"We can do no good here," said Major Salkeld in a voice loud enough -to be heard by all his men; "we must fall back on the others. What -say you, Sergeant Oliphant?" - -A braver man than the sergeant never put on putties, and he answered, -"Quite right, sir; we must get back to the other fellows;" and the -order was given by the major to retire beyond the bend, where the -horses were being held. - -Luckily the long veldt grass concealed their movements, or the New -Zealanders would have suffered more heavily than they did. As it -was, during the short retirement, three men were hit--one killed -outright, and the others dangerously wounded. - -"We cannot leave these men here," said Major Salkeld; so the stricken -troopers were picked up and carried to where the odd men were -standing with the horses. The rifles which the wounded and dead had -dropped when they fell were not forgotten. - -The Irregulars were now out of the line of the enemy's fire, and no -time was lost in retreating to where Jack Lovat and the remainder of -the Irregulars were posted. - -One of the wounded men succumbed shortly after reaching the place of -shelter, so that the morning's fatalities up to the present totalled -three out of a very slender force. - -The horses, none of which had been hit, were picketed in a little -ravine, and three men told off as guard, after which Major Salkeld -saw to the defence. - -An unpleasant thought flashed through his mind, and the brain message -resolved itself into the question, "Are we in a death-trap?" - -The sides of the donga were precipitous, and clad here and there with -geraniums and heath of various species. Quartz rock of almost snowy -whiteness peeped out, forming a striking contrast to the vivid red of -the geraniums and the brown mottled surface of the heaths. - -"Oliphant," said the major, addressing his sergeant, "do you think it -politic for us to retire straight through the donga by the way we -came, and retrace our steps to the Kopje Farm?" - -A grim look was on the sergeant's face as he replied, "It would be, -sir, if we could manage to do it." - -"What do you mean, Oliphant?" queried the officer. "There will not -be the slightest difficulty in the way, only I don't quite like the -idea of falling back. It is against our traditions, you know." - -"I thoroughly understand what you mean, sir," answered the sergeant; -"but I am very much mistaken if even now both ends of the donga are -not closed against us. I believe we are in a death-trap, sir." - -"It doesn't say much for our scouting," muttered Major Salkeld; after -which he added aloud, "Get the men ready to start, Oliphant. Poor -Mason must be left for a time at least." - -Two wounded troopers were in a bad plight. One had been shot through -the lungs, but still lived, while the other, more fortunate, was -suffering from a broken arm. - -Jack Lovat when he realised the true state of affairs at once -volunteered to remain behind with the trooper who was lying at -death's door, but the gallant lad's offer was firmly refused by Major -Salkeld. - -The latter was in a terrible dilemma. If he and his little force -left their present place of shelter, and a section of the Boers had -crept round to the other end of the donga, it would mean almost -certain death, or at the best surrender, and the men riding in the -ranks of the Auckland Rangers had made a solemn vow when they landed -in the country never to be taken alive. - -The major made up his mind. He would remain; so he set his men to -work to intrench themselves, after which he despatched scouts to each -end of the donga. - -Jack Lovat this time would not be denied, and along with Sergeant -Oliphant made his way to the mouth of the donga leading to the Kopje -Farm. - -Two hundred yards from the entrance they dismounted and picketed -their horses. Then on hands and knees they began crawling towards -the mouth of the donga. - -"I hope you have the safety catch of your rifle on," whispered -Oliphant. "We must have no accidents." - -"It is all right, Sergeant," replied Jack. - -This part of the donga was covered with long veldt grass, nearly a -foot high, and although it somewhat impeded their movements, it -screened them fairly well from observation. - -No signs of Boers could be seen, although Jack and his companion -carefully scrutinised the ridges on both sides of the donga. - -At length a peculiar noise was heard. It was something between a -whistle and a cry. The two scouts fell prone and lay still. -Presently Jack whispered, "See, Sergeant, on your right front. The -place is swarming with Boers." - -Scarcely had he finished speaking when the report of a volley rang -through the donga. The bullets whistled harmlessly over the heads of -the Colonial and his young friend. Involuntarily Jack turned his -head. The two horses lately ridden by himself and his companion were -lying stretched on the ground. - -For a few minutes both lay still, not daring to move a limb, until a -fierce fusillade broke out at the other end of the donga. This -decided the sergeant, and he whispered, "We must get back, boy. We -are hemmed in, but I think it best to fight it out together." - -And so thought Jack. Although only a few hundred yards from their -friends, it took the pair nearly half an hour to regain the -intrenchment. They crawled on their hands, knees, and stomachs, -wriggling like serpents in the long grass, and although both had -several near escapes from being hit, they did not receive a scratch. - -Things looked very black at the intrenchment. Three men were already -lying in a last long sleep, while more than a dozen had been wounded. - -The little band of New Zealanders was suffering from a heavy frontal -fire, to which at any time might be added a terrible flank one. - -Several horses had been killed, and the moans of the wounded men and -their cries for water were heartrending. Major Salkeld, with a white -face streaked with blood from a wound in the head, looked as grim and -determined as ever. - -His men had not wasted a cartridge, for they knew that the exhaustion -of their bandoliers meant death or surrender. - -One young trooper, Coke by name, who through love of adventure and -fighting had thrown up a splendid appointment in the Bank of -Australasia, received a mortal wound in the stomach as he slightly -rose to twist round his bandolier. - -With a blanched face, he turned to Major Salkeld and gasped, "I'm -done for, sir! Take these;" and with great difficulty and increased -agony he wrenched off his bandolier and handed it to the officer. - -"One drop of water, before I die!" muttered the poor lad; but water -there was none within fifty yards, and the open must be crossed -before that could be obtained. - -"I'm going for some water," said Jack Lovat, laying down his rifle, -and heedless of the officer's remonstrance, Jack coolly collected -half a dozen water-bottles, and leaving the shelter of the -intrenchment, ran forward in search of the precious fluid. Thoughts -of danger possibly entered his mind, but the desire to alleviate the -sufferings of his wounded comrades was paramount. - -The peculiar 'phit-phit' of Mauser bullets whisked round his head, -but he ran steadily on, untouched by the nickel messengers of death. -Then the fire suddenly ceased, and Jack filled the water-bottles and -returned to the intrenchment. - -"My lad," cried Major Salkeld, "you deserve a hundred Victoria -Crosses. I will see, if we get safely out of this, that you shall -not go unrewarded." - -A white flag fluttered in the breeze not three hundred yards away, -and a couple of Boers holding the signal of truce, advanced. - -"Shall I go and meet them, sir?" asked Oliphant. - -"Yes, do," replied Major Salkeld; "see what they want. But no -surrender. That is our motto. They must not see our weakness." - -The sergeant stepped forward and met the Boers half-way. He had -heard plenty of tales concerning white-flag treachery, but he knew -that if anything happened to him, his fall would be speedily avenged, -for a dozen deadly levelled rifles in the intrenchment would speak -with fatal effect. - -"We demand your surrender," said one of the Boers to Oliphant, a -heavily-bearded man, with a by no means unpleasant cast of -countenance. "There has been enough bloodshed, and you have proved -yourselves brave men. You have no chance, and will surely all be -shot down. Veldt-cornet Steyn wishes me to express his admiration of -your fighting qualities. Are you the officer in charge of this -detachment?" - -"I am only a subordinate," answered Oliphant. "I cannot make or even -discuss terms." - -"Then return to your commanding officer, and tell him that if his -force does not surrender within ten minutes, firing will be resumed, -and then God help you." - -Oliphant bowed, and returned to the intrenchment. - -Major Salkeld on hearing the sergeant's narration of the brief -interview with the Boers, exclaimed, "We do not surrender. Not an -Aucklander yet has been captured by the enemy. We will fight to a -finish." - -A few minutes later, the Boers again opened fire upon the brave New -Zealanders, now sadly diminished in number. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -THE RESCUE - -We must now return to Trooper Morton, whom we left bound in a cave in -Diamond Valley. His wound was a painful one, and having lost a -quantity of blood, he naturally felt somewhat weak. - -The Boers had taken good care to secure his ankles. The hide with -which they were bound was tied and knotted while wet, and, quickly -drying, caused great pain by its contraction. - -He raised himself into a sitting posture and began fumbling with the -hide rope. He might as well have tried to snap bands of wrought -iron. He was hungry as well, so he turned to the strip of biltong -which the Boers had thrown to him when they departed. - -"I suppose they take me for a cannibal," he muttered, looking at the -dried ox-flesh. "However, I'll see what it is made of. I daresay I -shall need all the strength I can muster before I reach my troop--if -ever I do. I really don't want to make another acquaintance, while -alone, with these beggars." - -The biltong proved palatable, and Morton, possessing a healthy -digestion and not being fastidious, made a satisfying meal of the -unaccustomed food. - -His next action was to crawl out of the cave, and with some -difficulty he made his way to a little rivulet that ran along the -base of one of the sides of the donga. In the bed of the stream were -pebbles of various sizes, and after assuaging his thirst, he began to -search for a sharp-edged stone. - -For some minutes he was unsuccessful, but at last perseverance -brought its reward, and he discovered a triangular-shaped piece of -quartz. With this he began sawing at the rope, but he found the hide -tougher than he had bargained for. - -He hacked at his fetters until darkness set in, and by that time had -only succeeded in severing a single strand. Two more must be cut -before he could regain his freedom. - -He resolved to snatch a few hours' sleep, so he crawled to a -depression, a couple of hundred yards distant from the cave, and lay -down. The night was bitterly cold, and the Southern Cross gleamed -brightly above him. At last he fell asleep, and when he awoke -streaks of yellow light were shooting upwards into the sky from the -eastern horizon. - -He again set to work on the hide rope, and before the sun had reached -the point midway between the zenith and horizon was a free man. His -ankles were sore and swollen, and taking off his stockings, he bathed -his feet in the clear water of the stream, after which he felt better. - -Then his mind turned to the pebble hidden within the recesses of his -breast pocket. He took it out and examined it with interest and more -than ordinary care. - -"A few more like this," he muttered, "and I shall be able to open the -finest shop in Auckland." - -His knowledge of precious stones, and more especially diamonds, told -him that he had secured a magnificent specimen of crystallised -carbon. He retraced his steps to the place where he had found the -diamond, passing on his way the dead body of poor Pete, and although -his only implement was the three-edged piece of quartz, he was -fortunate enough to find four additional stones, not so large as his -first discovery, but still of great value. - -Sounds of distant rifle-firing fell upon his ears, desultory at -first, then in volleys. Like Jack Lovat, Morton had a pair of keen -eyes and ears, and was well able to find his way about, so he soon -located the scene of fighting. - -He knew that the firing proceeded from an opposite direction to that -of the Kopje Farm, and came to the conclusion that warfare was going -on in that particular quarter. He would make the best of his way to -Mr. Lovat's farmstead, where, if his comrades had departed, he could -obtain a mount, and possibly a pair of boots. After that, he would -try to rejoin his troop. - -Quick locomotion was out of the question, for his feet were already -blistered and bleeding, from contact with camel-thorns and pieces of -jagged rock. - -He was making for the summit of the kopje overlooking the farm, when -a couple of Kaffirs suddenly appeared, and came running towards him. -The natives halted, but Morton beckoned to them, and after some -display of hesitancy, they came up. - -The trooper was instantly recognised by the Kaffirs. They proved to -be two of Mr. Lovat's "boys," Simon and Daniel. - -Simon, who was a little fellow of singularly grotesque appearance, -called out, "Baas, don't go to de Kopje Farm. It is in de hands ob -bad Boers. Dey hab killed all de oder 'boys' 'cept Dan'l an' myself." - -"What!" exclaimed Morton, "have our men left the farm?" - -"Dey went dis mornin', baas," answered Simon. "Dere be hundreds ob -de Boers. Dan'l ah' me got away through de bush, or we would hab -been murdered as well. If only Baas Jack had been at home, dis would -not hab happened; but de old baas no show fight, and de Boers are now -up at de Kopje, eatin' an' drinkin' eberyding in the place." - -"Hold hard, my dear fellow! Not quite so fast," said Morton; "you -talk too quickly. I want you to tell me what has happened." - -"Well, baas," replied the Kaffir, "Moses an' Pete and Baas Jack hab -been missin' sin' yesterday, an' the missis and little missis hab -been crying all de night an' day too. I know your face, baas. I saw -you yesterday before Baas Jack an' Pete went away, an' den Moses -sneaked away; an' oh, baas, dings are in a bad way at de Kopje Farm. -De Boers hab taken Bessie, an' Juno, an' Jess, an'----" - -"Look here, Simon Peter, or whatever your name is, you are spinning -too long a yarn for me. Just answer me one or two questions. First, -when did the Boers arrive at Mr. Lovat's?" - -With the peculiarity habitual to Kaffirs, Simon began counting his -fingers in a rapid manner, after which he replied, "Dey came two -hours after de captain an' his men saddled up an' went away." - -"How many Boers are at the Kopje Farm?" queried Morton. "Try and -tell me exactly." - -Again the native's fingers began the counting process. - -"Well?" demanded Morton. - -"I should say one hundred an' half dat number, all men wid some led -horses. Dey killed all de 'boys' 'cept Pete, Moses, Dan'l, an' -myself. It was horrible; but de baas would not fight, an' we got -away. But where are your boots, baas? Your feet dey are bleedin', -too, an' you look bad. Wounded?" - -"Yes, a trifle, 'boy'--not much," replied Morton. "Have you any arms -with you--knives or anything of that kind?" - -Daniel, who was a forbidding-looking Kaffir considerably over six -feet in height, pulled out a revolver from his trousers' pocket, and -handing it to the New Zealander, said, "Dis belongs to Baas Jack, but -I spec he is dead." - -Morton took the weapon in his hand and examined it carefully. The -pistol was branded with the mark of the British Small Arms Company, -and was new and of heavy calibre. - -"Any cartridges?" queried Morton. - -"Plenty ob dem, baas," answered Daniel, producing a box which the -trooper found contained fifty rounds. The Kaffir took the cartridges -from a shooting coat that had evidently belonged to Mr. Lovat. - -"You keep dat, baas," said Daniel, "if you will let us go wid you. -We dare not go back to de Kopje Farm. I will now make you a pair ob -boots dat will be all right." - -Before Morton could say a word, the Kaffir plucked a number of large -leaves from a shrub of the plantain species, and within a very short -time, with the aid of a little string, had manufactured a pair of -presentable sandals--if somewhat unshapely, at least comfortable. - -"Now, baas," said Daniel, after he had fitted on the foot-gear, "do -de boots suit? Dey will not last long, but better dan nothin'." - -The New Zealander burst into a loud laugh, despite the seriousness of -his position, and assured the Kaffir that he was delighted with the -boots. - -"Will you 'boys' go with me to the Kopje Farm?" asked he, as he rose -to his feet. - -The eyes of both Kaffirs rolled in their sockets, showing an unusual -proportion of white, and Simon, the loquacious one, said with a -splutter, "No, baas, a thousand times, no. Dan'l an' me likes a good -fight, but a sjambokking first, and shootin' de next minute, don't -suit dese two boys at all." - -The strangely assorted trio, after Morton had rested a few minutes, -set off in the direction of Orangefontein; Daniel, who knew the -country well, leading the way, while the trooper and Simon followed -in the rear. - -Again Morton tackled his Kaffir companion about the commando of Boers -who had so unexpectedly arrived at the Kopje Farm soon after the -departure of the New Zealanders. - -"Do you mean to say there was not the slightest attempt to show fight -when the Boers arrived, Moses?" - -"Dat is not my name, baas," replied the Kaffir, with some heat. "My -name Simon. Moses no good at all--always up at Van Donnop's over de -veldt; worse dan a Boer." - -"Never mind what your name is, my good fellow," observed the trooper. -"The Boers could not come from the Kopje?" - -"No, baas; no road dat way. Dere be three paths up to de farm--one -straight from de valley, an' de oders on what you call de right an' -left flanks. De Boers came up on de left flank, while your boys went -away by de right. We first saw de Boers when dey were a long way -off." - -"But you said that the 'boys' with the exception of yourselves had -been killed. What makes you think that, Simon?" - -"I dink nothin' at all about it, baas; I am sure." Here the Kaffir's -eyes dilated widely. "From our hiding-place in de bush, Dan'l an' me -saw one ob de 'boys' run into de ostrich kraal. A Boer ran after him -an' shot him down. Den several oder shots were fired, and we knows -what dat means. Den we see de missis and de little missie wiping -dere eyes wid aprons. Dis is a bad mornin' for us, baas." - -"All right, 'boys,'" said Morton; "you go along with me. Have you -any knives?" - -Daniel produced an ugly-looking bowie knife from a sheath which he -had concealed inside his somewhat scanty shirt, and held it up for -the white man's inspection. - -"That will do," said the New Zealander. "And now heigho! for -Orangefontein and my comrades of the Auckland Rangers!" - -"Baas, can you tell me where young Baas Jack is?" asked Daniel. - -"He is a prisoner in the hands of the Boers, my lad," answered -Morton; "but I trust that before long we shall come across him. I -think I----" - -The New Zealander halted, for the sound of heavy rifle-fire could -again be heard proceeding from some place a few miles distant in the -right front. - -"Fighting is going on," muttered Morton. "Hang my ill-luck! I am -always out of the show,"--a statement which was by no means a correct -one, seeing that Major Salkeld's favourite scout had been in more -skirmishes probably than any other Irregular in the army. - -Morton directed the two Kaffirs to look in the direction whence the -reports came; but the keen vision of Simon and Daniel could detect no -flashes of flame, and in these days of smokeless powder no haze hangs -over scenes of fight. - -The country was wild in the extreme--granite-peaked kopjes interlaced -with innumerable little dongas met the vision, gaze where you would. -The kopjes, whose sides and bases were clad with geraniums and heath -of various kinds, formed a glorious mosaic against the steel-tinted -blue of the African sky. Everything in Nature was sublime, and stood -out in relief against the awful passions of men, who were striving -might and main to imbrue their hands in their fellow-creatures' -blood. War has its romance, its temporary glitter, but also its -awful, black shadows in the shape of untold physical and mental -suffering, endured by those who are compelled to serve under its -sombre flag. - -The firing continued, and Trooper Morton, irresistibly impelled by -the sheer love of fighting innate within him, veered out of the track -which Simon vehemently declared led to Orangefontein. - -The New Zealander's temporary foot-gear had given way, and the two -Kaffirs, while the Irregular rested, went in search of fresh leaves, -taken from a bush of the plantain species, in order to patch up the -old or manufacture a new pair of shoes. - -The Kaffirs as a race are endowed with an extraordinary range and -quickness of vision, and before Simon and Daniel had completed their -self-imposed task, the latter's keen eye noted something on the -horizon away to the right, which for the moment disturbed his peace -of mind. - -"Aasvogel, baas; dead people somewhere near!" said the -unsophisticated Kaffir, as he advanced towards Morton, who was -examining his still swollen ankles. - -The vulture of South Africa, like the steed mentioned in Holy Writ, -can smell the battle from afar, and little did Morton imagine that -the hideous birds of prey were even now hovering above the bodies of -his late comrades, proved friends in many a fight. - -Farther away to the right still edged Morton. His adventurous spirit -was yearning to be in the middle of the fray, but his Kaffir -companions were not imbued with the same enthusiasm. - -Presently the trio struck the Orangefontein road leading from Land -Drift, and Morton called a halt. The biltong had given out, and the -Kaffirs were empty-handed. Daniel, however, was equal to the -emergency. His keen eyes detected some white flowers growing on the -veldt, and his bowie knife was out in an instant. - -"Somethin' good to eat, baas," he said, as he knelt down and began -digging the ground round the flower roots. Presently he unearthed -what appeared to be ground nuts. These he handed to Morton, saying, -"You try dese, baas; dey are not bad eatin', an' you neber get tired -after you hab made a meal ob dem." - -The trooper responded to Daniel's invitation, and although the roots -possessed a stronger pungent odour than he liked, he assuaged his -hunger with them, and felt decidedly better after his meal. - -Simon and Daniel squatted themselves down a few paces distant, for a -Kaffir never partakes of food with a white man, and Morton threw -himself on the veldt, on which at this part heath grew very -plentifully, and stretched himself out. - -Like the long continued rolling of thunder, rifle-firing had been -heard by the three refugees, but all at once there was a fierce -crackle, followed by a few intermittent shots--then silence. - -"Baas!" cried Simon, running towards Morton, "some horsemen are -comin' dis way. Dey be five." The Kaffir held up his hand, and -continued, "Dey belong to you, baas. Kaffirs can see a long way." - -Morton's heart seemed to leap into his mouth as he listened to Simon. -The news seemed too good to be true. - -"I can see nothing, Simon," said the trooper, shading his eyes and -looking down the valley, in the direction pointed out by the Kaffir. - -"Dere, baas, dere!" exclaimed Simon excitedly. "Dey be comin' -straight for us;" and at last the New Zealander was able to -distinguish five moving figures, advancing at a rapid trot towards -them. - -Morton was not exactly a religious man, but he felt devoutly thankful -when five minutes later he found himself shaking hands with men -belonging to his regiment whom he had not seen for a week. - -They were scouts belonging to the B Troop of the Rangers. Rumours of -a disaster to Major Salkeld's troop had reached headquarters, and -instead of proceeding to Springbokfontein, Colonel Malcolmson, the -commandant of the Rangers, with two Maxim guns and four hundred men, -was even now in search of the missing troop. - -Luckily the scouts had with them two led horses, so that Morton was -enabled to obtain a mount. Simon and Daniel declined the offer made -to them by Morton and backed up by the scouts. They would take their -chance on the veldt. Morton knew that the blacks could fight well -when in laager, but they had very little stomach for warfare when -waged in the open field. - -Before parting with the Kaffirs, the horsemen gave the two "boys" a -supply of biscuit, after which they left them. - -The six New Zealanders proceeded towards the spot where the firing -had been heard. Everything was now quiet, and as they proceeded -Morton detailed in a few words his experiences since Major Salkeld -had left the main body. - -"We are encamped in a valley about two miles from here," said the -sergeant of the scouts, in answer to an interrogation by Morton. -"Everything is in light order, and we got word an hour ago that Major -Salkeld is in a tight corner, so we have been sent round here to find -out what we can, and report at once. I never in all my life saw such -country for manoeuvring in. A fight may be taking place not half a -mile away, and you can see nothing. After what you have told us, I'm -afraid the major has not only lost the number of his mess, but also -that of his troop. Hullo! here comes a fellow. What does it mean?" - -A few seconds later, a New Zealander, whose horse was foam-flecked -and panting with exertion, rode up. - -"Retire at once!" cried the new-comer. "Ah, Morton! is it really -you? Glad to see you, I'm sure." - -The speaker was a young lieutenant temporarily attached to the New -Zealanders from the South African Light Horse. - -"We have located the enemy, Sergeant," said the officer. "Now, right -about!" and omitting the red tape, "trot! canter!" the seven -Britishers rode hard for the Colonials' camp. - -Morton, handicapped though he was with his plantain-leaf slipper--for -by this time he had only one left--was not the last man to reach the -camp of the New Zealanders. - -The baggage and Maxims were left behind under a strong guard, and -Morton, who had no difficulty in securing a pair of boots many sizes -too large for him, which of course was a necessity, and a Lee-Enfield -with its accompanying complement in a fully loaded bandolier, found -himself once more on the warpath. - -The scouts, who undiscovered, had located the Boers, led the way, and -the force, nearly three hundred strong, approached the valley where -Major Salkeld and his little band of heroes for hours had fought -against an infuriated and stubborn foe. - -An ominous silence reigned, but ahead on the several kopjes, isolated -bodies of horsemen, few in number, could be seen retreating westward. - -"Is this to be a repetition of the Gordon case?" asked Colonel -Malcolmson of Captain Bryan, a young Irish soldier of fortune, who -had served in Ladysmith during the early stages of the war. "Are we -always to be too late? I pray that we may not be so now. Major -Salkeld and his men are worth a king's ransom." - -"I hope the present tense will hold good, sir," said the Irishman -grimly. "The enemy have evacuated their positions, which looks bad." - -Things did look dark, for when the colonel and his men arrived at the -mouth of the donga where Major Salkeld had been trapped, thousands of -empty cartridge-cases were found strewing the ground. The cases took -the form of five-chambered Mauser clips. - -In the middle of the donga, the relieving force found the remnant of -Major Salkeld's troop, and tears came into the eyes of the bronzed -warriors as they gazed upon the inanimate forms of the gallant lads -from Maoriland, stretched behind the little breastworks formed by -nature. - -Some of the men still clutched their rifles, fingers on triggers, -with foreheads wrinkled and savage-set lips. These lay on their -stomachs, and had been hit while in the act of taking aim. - -Others had rolled over in their last dying agony, and in their hands -were clutched pieces of veldt grass and gravel. - -Were there any survivors? Yes! A boyish form struggled to its feet -and saluted the colonel, as he stood gazing in awe and wonderment at -the little field of carnage. The form belonged to Jack Lovat, who -merely said, "I'm pleased you have come, sir. We have done the best -we could." - -With the exception of the solitary wound he had received on the -previous day, Jack Lovat amidst the continuous whistling storms of -bullets, had not received a scratch. Major Salkeld was not killed, -but had received a severe wound in the leg which floored him. -Sergeant Oliphant had succumbed to a bullet through the brain not -long after the commencement of the fight. - -Nineteen troopers had been slain outright, four wounded mortally, -while six more had been incapacitated. Jack Lovat was the only -fighting survivor of the so-called little affair at Langeman's Drift. - -The wounds of the living were at once attended to, and the dead -reverently buried, Colonel Malcolmson officiating as chaplain and -chief mourner. - -In a consultation with Major Salkeld, the colonel said, "And you -think, Major, that this commando will concentrate at the Kopje Farm?" - -"I have no doubt about it, sir. I believe that even now the farm may -be occupied by rebels," answered the major. "You have a splendid -guide in young Lovut, the son of the owner. He is a young hero, and -deserves a thousand Victoria Crosses. Take him with you, sir, and -attack at once." - -"Your advice is good, Major," said Colonel Malcolmson. "I am so -sorry you can't come with us." - -That was a physical impossibility, and no one felt more chagrined -than the gallant Major Salkeld. - -In our next chapter we shall describe the attack on Kopje Farm, and -its results. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -THE FARM RECAPTURED - -When the Boers advanced on the Kopje Farm, Mr. Lovat deemed the -policy of non-resistance to be the wisest course to pursue. Against -the overwhelming numbers of the Boers there would not have been the -slightest chance of a successful defence, although Pat O'Neill -counselled holding the place at all costs. Perhaps it was as well -that Jack Lovat was an absentee, as he certainly would have backed up -Pat's suggestion. - -But Mr. Lovat, weakened in mind and body by his wound, yielded to his -wife's entreaties to allow the Boers to take what they pleased, -hoping that by so doing he would get rid of them the sooner. - -The section of Christian Uys's commando, now split into several -parts, which had unceremoniously thrust itself upon the master of the -Kopje Farm, was under the command of a veldt-farmer named Maestral, -whose hatred against the British was of a very pronounced type. - -He had entered the precincts of the Kopje Farm without encountering -the slightest resistance. - -Simon and Daniel, as related before, had fortunately escaped. - -Mr. Lovat's stores were ransacked, and articles of food and clothing -wantonly destroyed. The ostrich farmer had a plentiful supply of -spirits, mostly in the shape of Scotch whisky, and the marauders -helped themselves with willing hands, and before long, discipline -became hopelessly lost. - -Maestral, the field-cornet, although possessing a cruel and -vindictive temperament, was an abstemious man, and argued, but in -vain, with his intemperate burghers. - -"We shall have to pay dearly for this," he said, addressing a -rough-looking burgher named Wessels, who was one of the ringleaders -in the acts of destruction. - -"Very likely," said Wesseis, with a brutal leer. "We have had a -rough time of it lately, so I for one mean to enjoy myself, whenever -the opportunity offers. The chance may not occur again." - -Pat O'Neill could not conceal his anger and chagrin as he witnessed -the looting that went on, but a hint from a gray-whiskered Boer, that -flesh and bone are not proof against bullets, induced the Irishman to -keep a still tongue in his head. So all that Pat could do was to set -his teeth and bear it. - -Several of the younger members of the commando had turned the -ostriches loose, but Field-cornet Maestral's threat of using his -sjambok had a salutary effect, and the birds were re-penned after -several exciting chases. - -The rifles and ammunition found in the storehouse were confiscated by -the Boers, and the latter were on the point of resuming their wild -orgies when a couple of burghers dashed up on horseback and inquired -for the field-cornet. The bloodstains on their horses' flanks showed -that they had ridden hard. - -"Well?" demanded Maestral. "You bring good news, Emil Behrens?" - -The Boer thus spoken to dismounted from his panting steed, and -exclaimed, "We have finished off a lot of the rooineks, but"--this -was added in a whisper--"a big force of them is advancing on this -place. The commandant has ordered the other section of the commando -to scatter, and afterwards concentrate near Doom Spruit. Commandant -Uys has told us to acquaint you with the news, and also to ask you -not to hold the farm, as the Rangers will attempt to retake it, even -if it costs them many men." - -Field-cornet Maestral was a man endowed with a large bump of -cautiousness, and after listening to the scout's statement, he with -some difficulty assembled his section of the commando and addressed a -few words to them. His quick eye noticed that the potent spirit -imbibed by nearly all his burghers had taken effect and that their -gait was unsteady. - -The Boer officer told the burghers the news he had just received from -the scout Emil Behrens, who stood by his side, and informed them that -it was his intention to evacuate the farm. Loud cries of dissent -arose, and as Maestral did not possess the personality of a De Wet, -he naturally felt, and was, powerless in the hands of his burghers. - -Meanwhile a strange action was being performed by Pat O'Neill. The -Dutch settler who built the Kopje Farm had during its erection -constructed several large cellars, the ramifications of which -extended under many of the rooms as well as the ostrich kraal. - -The element of fear had no place in Pat's mental constitution, and -while the field-cornet was addressing his men, the Irishman -disappeared. Through a secret trap-door in a corner of the storeroom -floor, he descended into the enormous cellar. From his pocket he -took out a small lantern in which was a piece of tallow candle. He -carefully lighted the candle, and placed the lantern within a niche -in the wall. - -Three large barrels stood in a corner of the cellar, and the barrel -lids were removed by Pat without any difficulty, for the simple -reason that the worthy Irishman had seen to a little necessary -"prising" process soon after Major Salkeld's men had left in the -morning. - -With a large scoop, Pat began to bale out a black substance on the -floor. The substance was gunpowder! Quite coolly the Rorke's Drift -man laid a train leading from the barrels to the foot of the ladder, -and with grim satisfaction viewed his work in the dim light. - -"Bedad!" he muttered, "this will give the spalpeens a shock worse -than King James av ancient memory might av got." Then taking out a -long piece of gutta-percha fuse, he inserted one end in the train of -powder, and ascended the ladder steps carrying the other end of the -fuse with him. This end he fixed between the interstice formed by -the floor and the trap-door. - -Pat was just in time to see a little of the fun going on between the -field-cornet and his burghers, and chuckled gleefully to himself. - -Several gray-haired doppers were backing up their leader's proposal -that the farm should be evacuated, but the fumes of the whisky were -seething in the noddles of the majority of the Boers, and their only -longing was to get more of the potent spirit, regardless of -consequences. - -If Commandant Uys had been present, things might have happened -differently; but discipline had altogether fled, and the only answer -to the field-cornet's command was the demolition of several -additional bottles of the fiery fluid. After this, the burghers got -completely out of hand. - -Pat O'Neill made his way to the dining-room, where he found his -master, Mrs. Lovat, and Mary. - -"This is a bad day for us all, sorr," said Pat respectfully. "These -heathens are clearing out all we have on the place. They are -drinkin' harder now, sorr, than anything I've ever seen in the dear -ould counthry across the sea. I've got the ould barker wid me, sorr, -an' if they insult Pat O'Neill, they'll have to look out. You are -not well, sorr; remain here until I return, for you can do no good -among the murtherin' rascals. Oh, yes, sorr, I will take due care av -myself." - -Pat, like the majority of his versatile countrymen, was eloquent in -speech, and he added, "The first man, sorr, who dares to lay his -dirthy fingers on you or the missis or Miss Mary, I'll----" - -Pat's sentence was left unfinished, for the sharp crackle from rifles -broke out seemingly in all directions, followed by loud yells and -shouts in the Dutch tongue. - -"Begorra!" ejaculated honest Pat, "it's our bhoys, sorr. Maybe -Master Jack, the darlint av my eye, is wid them. No, sorr, you must -not move from here. You are not well enough. The saints be praised! -afther all, Pat O'Neill is about to see a good fight once more before -he shuffles off this mortal coil, as the poet says." - -Saying this, Pat walked to the door of the dining-room, took out the -key, and after closing the door, locked it, making temporary -prisoners of Mr. Lovat and his little family. The ostrich farmer was -a captive in his own house. - -Wild confusion now reigned in the farmyard. Bullets were whistling -all around, and a dozen Boers lay stretched on the ground, dead or -mortally wounded. - -In a wild stampede, the Boers climbed over the walls, only to receive -a heavy fire which dropped several more burghers. Several of the -Boers were hopelessly intoxicated, and made no show of resistance. - -[Illustration: "The Boers climbed over the walls."] - -"Hands up, you scoundrels!" yelled a stentorian voice. "At them, -boys! Down with the rascals! Hurrah!" - -The speaker was Trooper Morton, who carrying his rifle in his left -hand, dashed forward in pursuit of the flying burghers. Close behind -him was Jack Lovat, full of courage, and several troopers of the -corps of Rangers, all eager to engage the enemy in a hand-to-hand -conflict. - -The Boers showed little fight, and the excellent disposition of his -men by Colonel Malcolmson, which was largely due to information given -by Jack Lovat, led to the surrender of several burghers, without a -single casualty on the British side. - -Among the captured was Piet Van Donnop, who along with Emil Behrens -had been sent by Christian Uys to warn Field-cornet Maestral. - -Pat O'Neill was almost beside himself with delight at again meeting -his young master. Jack's first salutation was, "Where are my father, -mother, and Mary, Pat? I trust they are all right?" - -"I saw to that, Master Jack," answered Pat. "I locked them for -safety in the dining-room;" and the Irishman conducted Jack to the -apartment. - -The meeting between our hero and his parents was an affecting one, -for the latter believed that their son was dead. - -The captured Boers were at once disarmed by Colonel Malcolmson's -troopers, and the Free Staters placed under a strong guard. - -Jack had an interview with Piet Donnop. The young Dutchman told our -hero that much of Commandant Uys's information had been derived from -Moses, who had met his just deserts. The renegade Kaffir had been -shot, with several others in the service of the Boers, during the -attack on Major Salkeld's men in the donga. - -After the dead had been buried, Morton and Jack took a stroll through -the storeroom, and Pat O'Neill came up to them. - -Respectfully saluting, the Irishman said, "Sorr, you see that," -pointing to a thin black tube protruding from the trap-door. "Do you -know what that manes?" - -The two friends glanced at the fuse, and Pat seeing that the New -Zealander was smoking, added, "Plase put out your pipe, sorr. It is -rather dangerous." - -Wondering greatly what the ex-soldier meant, Morton obeyed; and Pat -raising the trap-door, said, "If things had gone wrong at the Kopje -Farm, I would have blown the place to smithereens, an' meself into -the bargain. By the Rock av Cashel, not one av the spalpeens would -have escaped! Now, most likely, we shall have peace." - -"You're a good fellow, Pat," observed Jack, with a smile. "I think, -however, the sooner you get things squared up, the better it will be -for all of us." - -"I know what ye mane, Masther Jack. I'll put the stuff all right;" -and shouldering a spade, the Irishman began to ladle the -deadly-looking powder into the barrel. - -"That is better," said Jack, as after having finished his task, Pat -replaced the trap-door. - -A few minutes later, Colonel Malcolmson held a hurried council of war -in Mrs. Lovat's drawing-room, and the gallant colonel invited the -intrepid Morton and our friend Jack to be present and take part in -the proceedings. - -It was determined to go in pursuit of the scattered remnants of -Christian Uys's commando; but before this was done, Piet Van Donnop -was brought before the colonel for examination. - -Piet had a somewhat crestfallen air, as he surveyed the group of -Britishers. - -"You are a burgher of the Free State, I presume?" interrogated the -colonel. - -Van Donnop glanced at Jack Lovat, and a red glow suffused his bronzed -features. - -"I am waiting for your reply, burgher," said Colonel Malcolmson -brusquely. "I trust that my Dutch is good enough for you to -understand?" - -"I am a Cape Colonist, sir," answered Piet sheepishly. - -"A Cape rebel, you mean," observed the colonel sternly. "How comes -it that you are caught in the act of bearing arms against His -Majesty's Government?" - -"I am fighting for my own side, sir," answered Piet boldly. "I took -up arms because I was asked, and thought I was doing what was right." - -"And you know what may be your fate--yes, your possible or rather -probable fate?" was the next interrogation. - -"I do not," replied Van Donnop, "and I care very little." - -"I scarcely wonder at that," said the colonel. "You certainly seem -to have been undergoing a bad time of it lately. Have you been here -before? I mean before the war commenced." - -"I know him well, sir," put in Jack Lovat, anticipating Piet's reply. -"He was kind to me when I was captured by the Boers. You will be -lenient with him, sir?" - -Invited by Colonel Malcolmson to say what he knew about the prisoner, -Jack told the officers of the friendship that had existed between the -two families before hostilities began, and begged the colonel to be -lenient with Piet. He urged that the young Dutchman, like many other -settlers in Cape Colony, had been led astray by Boer emissaries. - -Before being dismissed by the council, Piet felt that his life would -be safe. He knew that by the rules of civilised warfare, he, as a -rebel, had no claim to clemency, and noted with gratitude Jack -Lovat's appeal on his behalf. - -The Boer prisoners had been temporarily imprisoned in the largest -ostrich kraal, and a guard of twenty troopers with loaded rifles -placed over them. Several of the burghers were sleeping off the -effects of their late carouse, so that the task of guarding them was -a comparatively easy one. - -Pat O'Neill now assumed full authority as foreman of the Kopje Farm, -and with more swagger than was perhaps absolutely necessary, chaffed -the Boers about their inability to hold a little ostrich farm. Nor -were his eyes and hands idle. - -"The dirthy beggars!" muttered Pat. "They're fond av loot, an' why -should not Pat O'Neill, late av the ould 24th, not follow suit?" And -to Pat's credit be it said, he proved a competent detective. - -Towards evening, Colonel Malcolmson set off in pursuit of Commandant -Uys's scattered commando, and to his great satisfaction, our friend -Morton, now a full-blown sergeant--a rank conferred by Colonel -Malcolmson on the field--was left in command of the guard, entrusted -with the defence of the Kopje Farm, and the due supervision of the -Boer prisoners recently captured. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -DIAMONDS GALORE - -The troopers left in charge of the Kopje Farm, after the rest of the -Rangers departed, had many reasons why they should congratulate -themselves on their admirable temporary quarters. The New Zealanders -for months had lived "hard," as it is termed in soldier language. -Now they were, as a trooper expressed it, "in clover." - -Most of the men serving in the ranks of the Rangers were gentlemen by -birth, and many had had a university education. Sheer love of -adventure had drawn them from the Antipodes to South Africa, and -certainly during the whole of the unfortunate campaign no corps -serving under the Union Jack did more yeoman service than the lads -from Maoriland. - -True, they had their failings. Never expecting quarter themselves, -in the hot rush of fight, their warlike instincts caused a few, but -very few, regrettable incidents. The conflict over, they were the -most generous of opponents, treating the wounded and captured Boers -with the utmost kindness. - -Peace reigned at the Kopje Farm. All outward traces of the late -conflict had been removed before sunset, and Mrs. Lovat had so far -recovered her spirits that she ventured to walk across to the kraal -where the captives were confined. - -To the wounded Boers, Mary Lovat was the model of kindness. With her -deft fingers she applied linen bandages to their wounds, brought them -beef-tea made by her own hands, and was most assiduous and tender in -her attentions. - -War is an awful thing. The colours that depict it must always be of -a sombre, if not ebon hue, and Mary Lovat that night earned the -gratitude, often audibly expressed, of the burghers, smitten, though -not mortally, by the fire from the rifles of the Auckland Rangers. - -Pat O'Neill, war-seasoned old veteran that he was, acted as Mary's -trusted adjutant. He was here, there, and everywhere; at one moment -giving a wounded Boer a drink of lemon water, at another listening to -the whisperings of a delirious burgher uttered in strange tongue, -about his late home on the Modder River. - -All that was possible under the circumstances was done. Colonel -Malcolmson, with generous forethought and self-denial, left his -assistant surgeon at the Kopje Farm. His principal medico, Dr. -Rennie, had elected to remain behind with the few surviving wounded -at Langeman's Nek. - -As the sun was setting, Jack Lovat and his friend Sergeant Morton -took a stroll round the farm, and their conversation turned to the -subject uppermost in the New Zealander's mind--diamonds. - -"The place you call Diamond Valley is teeming with stones, I am -positive," said Morton decisively. "I'm going to explore the place -to-morrow, if nothing turns up to prevent me." - -"With not the same results as before, I hope," observed Jack, with a -laugh. - -"I shall take my chance," said Morton, smiling as he spoke. "I'm -convinced from what I saw that a valuable diamondiferous reef is in -existence in the valley. I would wager my bottom sovereign--only -unfortunately I haven't got one to stake--to next to nothing that a -fortune awaits the man who exploits the place. It is worth a try, at -any rate, and I'm going to make the venture in the morning, and -chance another capture." - -"We'll go together, then, Sergeant," said Jack; "and if luck comes in -our way, we'll share and share alike. Most of the valley belongs to -my father, and if anything turns up, I know he will be awfully glad -to get back to the old country." - -"Nothing to prevent it, I can assure you, my lad," observed Morton. -"Who knows what is lying hid in this wonderful valley of yours? -Perhaps it may contain more diamonds than are in the Kimberley -district." - -Sergeant Morton was optimistic. He had already in his possession -stones which he estimated bore a face value of two thousand pounds. - -"We'll go and have a chat now with father and mother," said Jack; and -the two friends made an adjournment to the room where Mr. and Mrs. -Lovat were seated, discussing the strange drama that had been enacted -at the Kopje Farm during the past few days. - -The night passed without alarms. Sergeant Morton and Jack never -slept, but spent their time in visiting the sentries judiciously -placed around the farm by the former. During the night a couple of -wounded Boers succumbed to their injuries, and were buried in the -little paddock behind the house, now a miniature cemetery. - -"Bedad, sorr," said Pat O'Neill to Jack after the burial, "this -brings back ould times--when I was twenty years younger than I am -to-day. Do you know, sorr, that I thought my blood was gettin' a bit -thin, but by the powers, I'm spoilin' for another fight. Maybe, -though, it won't come off. By the way, sorr, did the masther get -back those five hundred sovereigns the dirthy curs robbed him of at -Jagger's Farm?" - -"I'm afraid father won't see them again, Pat," replied Jack. "The -poor beggars are welcome to keep them. They have had a stiffish time -of it lately. I hardly think they will make an attack on the Kopje -Farm again. What is it, Pat? Why are you fumbling in your -waistcoat?" - -"I've got a bit av loot, Masther Jack," answered Pat. "No, sorr, not -your father's sovereigns;" and the Irishman drew out a dirty -chamois-leather bag. - -Dipping his hand into the bag, Pat withdrew ten Kruger sovereigns and -showed them to Jack. - -"Been looting, I see, Pat," said Jack laughingly. - -"Well, sorr, they took the masther's gold," observed Pat, with a -grin, "an' thinks I, as the ould sayin' goes, fair exchange is no -robbery. Av course, sorr, I've been on the look-out for a bit av -loot. You will take the coins, Masther Jack?" - -"No, no, my dear fellow; keep them yourself, if your conscience will -allow you." - -"I'm not a thafe, sorr," said Pat. "I only thought that all was fair -in love an' war--although, the saints be praised, Pat O'Neill has -never been such a fool as to fall in love wid any woman yet." - -"I meant no harm, Pat," observed Jack. "You get more fiery as you -get older." - -"All right, Masther Jack; I'll stick to the money until your father -gets back his five hundred pounds. But I got something else from the -burgher I took these from." - -"And pray what is that?" inquired Jack. - -"Only a few glass stones, sorr," replied the Irishman; and he -stretched out his palm, on which reposed a dozen or more little -"glass stones." - -"I think they're diamonds, sorr," said Pat, "but I'm no hand at -knowing jewellery." - -Sergeant Morton was passing on his way to the ostrich kraal, and Jack -called to him. - -"Hullo, Lovat! What is it?" inquired the Colonial. "Anything the -matter?" - -"Kindly look at these glass stones, as Pat calls them," said Jack; -and Morton glanced at the pebbles, after which he looked -significantly at our hero. - -"You might point out the burgher from whom you got these, Pat," said -Jack. "I should very much like to see the fellow who is fond of -carrying pieces of glass about with him." - -"Then they are only glass, sorr?" inquired the Irishman, a shade of -disappointment creeping over his face. - -"I can hardly say they are glass, at the present time, Pat," replied -Jack. "However, I want to see the burgher from whom you took the -crystals." - -"All right, sorr," observed Pat, with alacrity. "Come wid me, an' -I'll show you the burgher. He's a rough-looking customer, and big -enough to eat the three av us up." - -Saying this, Pat led the way to the ostrich kraal. The imprisoned -Boers looked very dejected, and anything but the fierce fighters -recently serving in Christian Uys's commando. - -Pat walked up straight to a Free Stater of immense size and stature. -The Boer possessed a most forbidding countenance, and scowled as Pat -approached. - -"This is the man, sorr, I took the coins an' crystals from," said Pat. - -"Then hand the coins back to him. They belong to him," observed Jack. - -Pat at once handed over the Kruger sovereigns to the big burgher, -whose face instantly assumed a suaver expression. - -"We British try to be just," said Jack in Dutch. "I am sorry that my -father's servant took the money from you. Do you mind telling me -where you obtained these?" Saying this, Jack showed the crystals to -the burgher. - -"I picked them up in a sluit not far from here. I thought they would -make a necklace for my daughter." - -"And you know what they are?" inquired Jack. - -"Crystals," answered the Boer. "They are very plentiful in my -country, but have not the same yellow colour as these." - -"Will you sell them to me?" asked Jack. - -"No, I will not take anything," answered the burgher; "I will give -them to you. You have restored my money, and I am content." - -Jack Lovat was honest, and as he turned away with Sergeant Morton, -said to the Boer, "I will see you again." - -Jack and his New Zealand friend returned to the house, and for an -hour were shut up in the former's room. - -Morton examined the crystals very carefully, while Jack awaited his -verdict with considerable anxiety. At last the New Zealander spoke. - -"They are diamonds, Jack, sure enough, but not of the same quality as -the stones I possess, or the one Kaffir Pete gave you. You see these -have a yellow tint distributed unevenly throughout their substance. -If the tint had been deeper and of a uniform nature throughout, the -pebbles would represent a value of three thousand pounds at least. -The majority of them are fractured, too. I should hand them back to -the Boer. After you have done that, we'll make tracks for Diamond -Valley. I don't suppose we shall meet with the same adventure as we -did before. The place seems quiet enough now." - -Jack acted on Sergeant Morton's suggestion, and offered to restore -the stones to the Boer from whom they were taken; but the latter, to -our hero's surprise, refused to accept them, saying, "Keep them; I -can get more when I return to my own country. I thank you all the -same for your kindness." - -An hour later, after a consultation with his father and mother, Jack -stood under the verandah of the farmhouse, waiting for Sergeant -Morton, who was making an inspection of the sentries and guards. It -was a beautiful day, and the sky was without a cloud. Brilliant -sunshine flooded the scene, and down in the valley the heat hung -quiveringly above the veldt. - -Only a few hours had passed since a scene of bloodshed and violence -was being enacted at the Kopje Farm. Now all is peaceful and still, -while the silence is almost oppressive. - -Leisurely Sergeant Morton sauntered up to where Jack was standing, -and in his rear stalked Mr. Lovat's faithful henchman, Pat. - -"All is serene, Jack," said the New Zealander, as he came up. "I -don't think we shall see or hear anything of our fellows until -evening. So come along. I've told Pat to be on the alert, and to -bring us word instantly should any change in the situation take -place." - -"You understand, Pat," said Jack to the Irishman, who was standing at -attention, "if any one turns up, you will at once come over the kopje -to us. Here are my glasses, and be sure you keep a sharp look-out." - -"All right, sorr," answered Pat; "I understand. But mind you, don't -go and get captured again, sorr." - -Jack laughed, and linking his arm within the New Zealander's, the two -friends began climbing the kopje in the direction of Diamond Valley. - -Both were well armed, Jack having a Lee-Enfield rifle, while Morton -carried a Mauser, with the use of which he was well acquainted. The -Mauser formed part of the spoil taken in the previous day's fight. - -"If we can find poor Pete's body, we'll bury him decently," said -Jack. "He was a good and faithful servant of my father's." - -"I'm afraid there will scarcely be any necessity for that," observed -Morton. "The aasvogels, I am afraid, will have been at work." - -The summit of the kopje was soon reached, and presently Jack and his -companion were overlooking the immense depression known as the -Diamond Valley. - -Jack led the way straight to where the Kaffir Pete had been killed, -and to his great satisfaction found that the poor black's body had -been left untouched by the loathsome birds of prey, although several -of them could be seen hovering in the air at some distance away. - -Our hero insisted upon Pete having a decent temporary interment, and -a hollow was soon found, in which the "boy" was placed, and covered -with stones and earth. - -"Now, Jack, my boy, we must make tracks for the diamonds," said -Morton, after the burying operations were completed. "Hullo!" he -added. "Look out, Jack!" - -The New Zealander, one of the coolest Irregulars serving in the -campaign, was speaking in an excited tone of voice. - -Jack Lovat turned his head in surprise. Not more than a yard from -him, a huge black snake, with uplifted head and ominous-looking -poison fangs, was preparing to hurl itself on the young settler. - -In a moment Jack took in the situation, and sprang aside. A rifle -report rang out, and the loathsome reptile fell at Jack's feet, an -inert mass of dead matter. A bullet from Sergeant Morton's rifle had -shattered the snake's head. - -"A near squeak that, Jack," said Morton, with a laugh. "They tell me -that a bite from one of these snakes means almost instant death." - -"I'm jolly glad, Sergeant, you warned me, and better still, hit the -brute. I'm awfully obliged to you." - -"Don't mention it, Jack. And now for that little blue reef!" -responded the sergeant. "I trust we shall be able to find it." - -"I think I can locate it," said Jack; "it is somewhere down here." - -"Right you are, Jack," observed Morton. "The side of the donga rose -almost perpendicularly, I remember. A band of blue clay runs -horizontally along the gneiss. Why, here we are. This is the very -place where the nigger said he found the pebble you showed me. I've -come prepared this time, Jack;" and the sergeant drew a -formidable-looking bill-hook from his belt. - -"I've gone one better than that," said Jack, with a smile, as he took -a small pickaxe from his pocket and placed it in a shaft which he had -brought from the farm. - -"The very thing, Jack!" cried Morton. "Why, you're a trump!" - -"Living on the veldt makes you sharp," said Jack drily. - -Morton took the pickaxe and began hewing at the band of blue clay. - -"No, leave it alone, Jack," said the sergeant, as Jack stooped to -pick up the clay. "I may hit you, and that would be a very bad -ending to what I consider a promising career." - -"All right, Sergeant," responded Jack cheerfully. "Then I'll stand -by and see you do the hard work, while I share the profits." - -For a few moments, Sergeant Morton applied the pickaxe vigorously, -then a ringing sound followed the blows. - -"A selvage pocket!" muttered the New Zealander, as he scooped out the -remnants of clay. "Hard luck, Jack, the worst of bad luck. The -pocket has given out. It can't be helped. And now let us examine -our spoil." - -With trembling fingers, it must be confessed, Sergeant Morton -proceeded to examine the blue clay he had dislodged, while Jack with -a big clasp knife followed suit. - -An exclamation burst from the New Zealander. - -"Jack!" he cried excitedly, "we are both made men!" and he showed to -our hero a substance rather larger than a walnut. - -"This is a klip, Jack; one of the finest South Africa has yet -produced. I must rest a while; I'm too excited to do any more;" and -the cool-headed New Zealander, the man who had been in a hundred -fights without showing the slightest trace of fear, sat down, and -with great difficulty restrained himself from shedding tears. - -Poverty and its attendant struggles would be a thing of the past, -and, in his Antipodean home, the war-worn Ranger would be able to -share in the luxuries and happiness which wealth, if judiciously -used, can bestow on its fortunate recipients. - -Several additional diamonds of large size were found by Morton and -Jack in the blue clay dislodged from the selvage pocket. These were -carefully gathered, and the two friends were on the point of -returning to the Kopje Farm, when they saw a figure silhouetted -against the skyline. - -"I fancy it is Pat," said Jack. "I wonder what news he brings. I -trust Colonel Malcolmson has captured the commando." - -"I hope such may be the case," observed the New Zealander. "However, -let us move forward as rapidly as we can, and ascertain what is the -matter." - -The new-comer proved to be Pat, and the worthy Irishman seemed to be -somewhat flurried. - -"I've come as ye tould me, sorr," said Pat, as the two friends came -up. - -"Any news?" inquired Jack. - -"The best av news, sorr," answered Pat. "It would take more than -half a dozen commandos to take the Kopje Farm now." - -"What do you mean, Pat? I don't quite understand." - -"I mane that a rigimint av English Lancers is now at the farmstead, -and some av the Rangers are expected soon. There has been a big -fight close to Springbokfontein, and the Boers have been badly licked -by our men, and the burgher they call Uys has been captured wid all -his baggage. You are going home now, sorr, I suppose?" - -"That is so, Pat," answered Jack; and we may rest assured that the -distance between the summit of the kopje and the farm was covered in -record time. - -Pat's information proved correct; for three squadrons of British -Lancers were temporarily resting at Mr. Lovat's ostrich farm. - -Jack was greatly impressed by the appearance of the Lancers. Most of -the soldiers were young men, but all looked fit and hardy. Theirs -had been a rough life for many months, trekking up and down the -colony in search of rebel bands. - -Major Lambton, who commanded the Lancers, proved an affable -gentleman, and received Jack with the greatest courtesy. Sergeant -Morton half expected a wigging for being absent from his post, but -escaped the infliction. - -A couple of despatch riders had ridden over from Springbokfontein, -conveying the news of the Boers' defeat, and also a command that the -prisoners captured at the Kopje Farm should be hurried down to the -town at the earliest moment. Half a dozen troopers were to be left -at the farm, if Mr. Lovat so desired. - -Major Lambton decided to leave a half troop of his Lancers with the -ostrich farmer, while with the remainder of his command he intended -to join Colonel Malcolmson. - -Jack obtained permission from his father, although it was not readily -accorded, to proceed with Sergeant Morton to Springbokfontein. Our -hero felt sorry for Piet Van Donnop and his comrades, who appeared -very dejected. The journey, too, had to be performed on foot over a -rough country. - -The wounded Boers were left in the ostrich kraal, until arrangements -for them to be conveyed to Springbokfontein could be completed. - -It was late in the afternoon when Jack and Morton arrived at the -town. A big fight had taken place in the early morning between the -Rangers and the now concentrated commando of the redoubtable -Christian Uys. - -It had proved a stubborn encounter; but the Rangers, under the -brilliant leadership of Colonel Malcolmson, forced the fighting, and -after much slaughter on both sides, the Boers ran up the white flag, -and the action ceased. - -Christian Uys, Veldt-cornet Steyn, and several officers were taken -prisoners, and lodged in the Town Hall at Springbokfontein. It was -evident that the Boers had sympathisers in the town, for many -scowling looks were bestowed on the Lancers and the Rangers, -escorting the prisoners captured at the Kopje Farm. - -To Jack's great delight, he found that the British wounded had -arrived from Langeman's Nek, and although Major Salkeld was severely -wounded, the doctor had great hopes of his complete recovery. - -Jack Lovat had an object in visiting Springbokfontein, and soon after -his arrival he sought and obtained an interview with Colonel -Malcolmson. - -Jack was accompanied by Sergeant Morton, and in an open though -respectful manner he made known his errand to the colonel. - -"I have come to make inquiries about my father's money, sir," began -Jack. "He was robbed of five hundred pounds a few days ago, by some -Boers belonging to the commando you have captured." - -"Oh, yes, I see, my boy; you are Mr. Lovat's son," said the colonel. -"I must congratulate you on the splendid spirit you have shown during -this very trying time. You have a perfect right to make every -inquiry. I know, of course, about the robbery, for such it was, I am -shortly having an interview with Commandant Uys and his veldt-cornet. -If you wish, you can go with me, and you as well, Sergeant Morton. I -believe the back of the rebellion is broken in this part of the -colony." - -Jack thanked the colonel for his courtesy, and said that he should be -pleased if he could have an opportunity of speaking to the -commandant. A few minutes later, Jack stood before the redoubtable -Boer leader. - -Uys was confined, along with several of his officers, in a large room -in the Town Hall. Several of the Boer officers with him had been -wounded, but there was a haughty look on all their faces. Although -captured, their spirits were not broken. - -The commandant opened his eyes in astonishment as he beheld Jack, who -returned the gaze with interest. - -"I have come to ask about my father's money, Commandant," said Jack. - -"What money?" demanded Uys. - -"The money of which he was robbed by your brigands," answered Jack -boldly in Dutch. - -"You are the young rooinek who escaped from my laager?" inquired the -commandant. - -"I am," replied Jack stolidly. - -"After killing one of my best burghers," said the Boer leader in a -stern tone of voice. - -"You say so," said Jack. "It is a time of war, and many men are -being killed daily. I have come to ask about my father's money, of -which he was robbed at Jagger's Farm. He was not, and is not even -now, at war with your race." - -"I have not your father's money," observed Uys. "If I had, I would -restore it to you. I cannot always restrain my burghers." - -"But you are responsible for their actions, Commandant," said Jack -boldly. "Your men also without provocation attacked my father's -farm, but our Kaffirs and I repelled their assault." - -"One question, youngster. I have given you an honest answer to a -straight question. Who was your companion when we captured you in -the donga?" asked Uys. - -"He is here to answer for himself, Commandant. His name is Morton;" -and Jack stepped to one side, saying as he did so, "Allow me, -Commandant, to introduce Sergeant Morton of the Auckland Rangers to -you." - -The Boer leader frowned, and muttered, "I thought so! He is a lucky -fellow." - -Finding that he could derive no satisfaction from the answers given -to his inquiries respecting his father's money, Jack bowed to the -commandant and retired. - -A couple of hours later, our hero found himself at the Kopje Farm, -relating to his parents the adventures of the day, and when he flung -himself on his bed, he felt that peace once more had come to dwell -around his father's farmstead. - -* * * * * * - -Two years have passed away since the incidents recorded in this -little book happened. - -Under the silken folds of the Union Jack, Dutch and British alike -enjoy the same liberties and privileges; but it is not of the land -under the brilliant Southern Cross that we now write. - -The purple heather is blooming on the moors and hillsides of bonnie -Scotland, and in the glens shots are heard. Grouse-shooting has -commenced in the Highlands, and a party of four are stalking through -the heather, on sport intent. - -One is a young lady, just blossoming into glorious womanhood. She is -a keen sportswoman, and can handle a gun as well as the best of them. -Her name is Miss Lovat, and she is the sister of the Laird of -Airdtullish. Her face is darker than those of the majority of her -fair countrywomen, but veldt breezes and scorching sunshine have the -knack of tanning faces belonging to those of European birth. - -Her companion is a gentleman of soldierly appearance, with a decided -limp in his gait. The hair shading his temples is tinged with gray, -although he is not yet forty. The quiet, soldierly man is our friend -Major Salkeld, whose gallant defence against big odds in the donga -over against Diamond Valley is recorded in the annals of the Auckland -Rangers. - -Since the grouse-shooting began, he has been Miss Lovat's devoted -companion. - -Let us glance at the remaining couple. Both are men, -broad-shouldered and clean-flanked. We have met them before; for the -younger man is our old friend Jack Lovat, and his companion Charlie -Morton, head partner in the big diamond-broking firm of Morton & -Company, Hatton Garden. - -Jack's father is dead, and lies in the little cemetery at -Orangefontein. The blow received from the clubbed rifle at Jagger's -Farm inflicted a more severe wound than was at first imagined, and he -gradually sickened and died. - -Mrs. Lovat is still in the land of the living, but remains in -delicate health. She is lovingly watched over by Mary and Jack, who -are doing their best to smooth the dark passage leading to the life -beyond. - -There is another character who acts the _rôle_ of butler at -Airdtullish Castle whom we must present to our readers. He is our -honest friend Pat O'Neill, formerly the faithful henchman of Mr. -Lovat, and now of his son. His tongue is as voluble as ever, and -nothing delights him more than to recount the deeds of the young -laird of Airdtullish to the servants at the Castle. - -Morton and Jack are engaged in conversation. - -"I often think about those five hundred sovereigns, Jack, which the -Boers sneaked from your father. You never saw them again, I suppose?" - -Jack laughed as he replied, "Well, perhaps I never did rest my optics -upon the identical coins; but Colonel Malcolmson saw that my father -had their value in horses, before he took Maestral's commando to -Springbokfontein. My father certainly lost nothing by the bargain. -It was rather fortunate in one sense that the Boers robbed him." - -"What do you mean?" inquired the diamond merchant. - -"Why, you would never have seen the Diamond Valley and Airdtullish. -Our paternal home would never have been mine. I deeply grieve, -however, for my father." - -The pair relapsed into silence, and stood for a few moments gazing at -the purple-clad mountains in the west. Here we must leave them, and -say "Au revoir!" to the quartette, and to our boy readers who have -followed the fortunes of the inmates of the Kopje Farm. - - - -THE END - - - -WILLIAM COLLINS, SONS, AND CO. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: The kopje farm</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: William Johnston</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: September 16, 2022 [eBook #68999]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Al Haines</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE KOPJE FARM ***</div> - -<p><br /><br /></p> - -<p class="capcenter"> -<a id="img-cover"></a> -<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-cover.jpg" alt="Cover art" /> -</p> - -<p><br /><br /></p> - -<p class="capcenter"> -<a id="img-front"></a> -<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-front.jpg" alt=""Sir! you are ambushed!"" /> -<br /> -"Sir! you are ambushed!" -</p> - -<h1> -<br /><br /> -THE KOPJE FARM -</h1> - -<p class="t2"> -By William Johnston -</p> - -<p class="t3"> -Author of "Tom Graham, V.C.," "With the Rhodesian Horse," etc. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /></p> - -<p class="t3"> -With -<br /> -Coloured Illustrations -<br /> -by -<br /> -Lancelot Speed -</p> - -<p><br /><br /></p> - -<p class="t3b"> -COLLINS' CLEAR-TYPE PRESS -</p> - -<p class="t3b"> -LONDON, GLASGOW, AND NEW YORK -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p class="t3b"> - CONTENTS<br /> -</p> - -<p class="noindent"> - CHAP.<br /> -</p> - -<p class="noindent"> - I. <a href="#chap01">JACK LOVAT</a><br /> - II. <a href="#chap02">A BOER LAAGER</a><br /> - III. <a href="#chap03">FRINGED WITH FIRE</a><br /> - IV. <a href="#chap04">MR. LOVAT'S ADVENTURE</a><br /> - V. <a href="#chap05">DIAMOND VALLEY</a><br /> - VI. <a href="#chap06">A CAPE REBEL</a><br /> - VII. <a href="#chap07">A WEIRD ADVENTURE</a><br /> - VIII. <a href="#chap08">THE AMBUSH</a><br /> - IX. <a href="#chap09">THE RESCUE</a><br /> - X. <a href="#chap10">THE FARM RECAPTURED</a><br /> - XI. <a href="#chap11">DIAMONDS GALORE</a><br /> -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap01"></a></p> - -<p class="t2"> -THE KOPJE FARM -</p> - -<p><br /><br /></p> - -<h3> -CHAPTER I -<br /><br /> -JACK LOVAT -</h3> - -<p> -Those stirring times are days of the past, and -the unsheathed sword has given place to the -ploughshare, but weird pictures of bloodshed -among man and beast are indelibly impressed -on Jack Lovat's brain, and his dreams of to-day -are often linked with the scenes enacted during -the "White Men's War" beneath the glittering -Southern Cross. -</p> - -<p> -Jack Lovat was not a Colonial bred and -born, for his boyhood had been passed amid -the peaceful surroundings of a Highland sheep -farm in dear old Scotland. Mr. Lovat, Jack's -father, had been a laird of substantial means, -and was descended from a line of ancestors in -whose veins coursed a strain of royal blood; -but bad times came, and Jack, instead of -proceeding to Loretto, took passage as a member -of the Lovat family, in a Castle liner bound -for Cape Town. -</p> - -<p> -Jack was seventeen at the time our story -opens. Rather above the middle height, he -was broad, and his bronzed features testified -to his three years' sojourn on the South African -veldt. -</p> - -<p> -The Kaffirs on his father's ostrich farm, near -Orangefontein, had dubbed him "The Strong-armed -Baas," only a month later than his -advent to the holding locally known as "The -Kopje Farm." -</p> - -<p> -Pete, the Kaffir who acted as native foreman -to Mr. Lovat, declared that "Baas Jack" -could fell the biggest ox ever inspanned in -a Cape waggon, which of course was an -exaggeration of a very bad type, but to which -statement Pete and the other "boys" employed -on the estate pinned implicit faith. -</p> - -<p> -The dogs of war had been let loose in -South Africa, but Orangefontein had not been -troubled as yet. Ladysmith, Kimberley, and -gallant little tin-roofed Mafeking had been -besieged and relieved, but round the homes of -the settlers near Ookiep and Orangefontein -tranquillity reigned. -</p> - -<p> -On the outbreak of hostilities, Jack Lovat -had begged his father to allow him to join a -Colonial mounted corps, but Mr. Lovat withheld -his permission. -</p> - -<p> -"No, boy," said the ostrich farmer; "we will -defend our home to the last, and I can't spare -you; so say no more about it. It will be quite -time for us to take up arms when the Boers -come round here." So Jack, with a somewhat -bad grace, had to rest content, and busy himself -with attending to the ostriches and the big -fruit farm on the bank of the Zak River. -</p> - -<p> -One afternoon during the African winter, -Jack and Pete were engaged in rounding up -the ostriches. Mr. Lovat had left early in -the morning for Springbokfontein. He had -driven over to the town in a light Cape cart, -in whose shafts was Bessie—a favourite mare, -foaled on the farm, and belonging to Mary -Lovat, Jack's sister. -</p> - -<p> -Bessie was known to be the fastest roadster -in the district, and was as playful as a kitten, -and never was a horse better loved than was -Bessie by Mary Lovat. -</p> - -<p> -The ostrich farmer had promised Mrs. Lovat -that he would be home soon after midday, and -it was now four hours past that time; so Jack -was naturally anxious. -</p> - -<p> -In a cowhide portmanteau Mr. Lovat had -taken five hundred sovereigns, intended for -deposit in Springbokfontein Bank. The town -guard in Springbokfontein was exceptionally -strong, and Mr. Lovat, after much discussion -with his wife and Jack, had decided to deposit -the gold for safe keeping in the bank, instead -of, as Mrs. Lovat at first suggested, hiding it -in some carefully marked spot on the kopje, -in case of the advent of the Boers. -</p> - -<p> -The ostriches having been penned up in -Cromarty Kraal—so called from his mother's -maiden name—Jack turned to Pete and said, -"My father is late. I hope he is all right." -</p> - -<p> -"De baas will come in his own good time," -observed Pete; "he will be able to take good -care ob himself. Dere be no Boers about -here." -</p> - -<p> -"I should like to see some of them come," -said Jack, with a laugh. "I think we could -give a good account of them. Let me see," -and the young settler began to count on his -fingers; "there's you, Pete, and Saul, Moses, -Jethro, Simon, Zacchary, Daniel, Obadiah, -and I must not forget Pat, besides my father -and self. That makes eleven, doesn't it? -With the rifles and ammunition we got from -Port Nolloth, and inside our strong walls, we -could keep a commando at bay." -</p> - -<p> -Jack's enthusiasm began to rise, and he went -on: "I hope some of the beggars do come -down upon us. I want to try my rifle upon -something better than springbok and -hartebeeste. What say you, Pete?" -</p> - -<p> -A broad grin spread over the Kaffir's face, -as he replied, "I dunno, Baas Jack. I no -want a Mauser bullet through my skin. All -de same, baas, if de time eber comes, Pete will -be found ready to lay down his life for de baas, -missis, little missie, an' you." -</p> - -<p> -"Bravo, Pete! spoken like a man!" cried -Jack, who nearly so far forgot himself as to -shake hands with the Kaffir. "And now, -Pete, let us go round and see what the boys -are doing." -</p> - -<p> -Kopje Farm well deserved its appellation, -for it stood on the middle spur of a high, -flat-topped range of hills. The building had been -erected many years before by a Dutch settler, -when trouble was rife with the Bantus, and its -thick stone walls, loopholed here and there, -gave it the appearance of a fort. Around the -dwelling-house ran a wall of stone, some six -feet in height and correspondingly thick, which -had continuations to the ostrich kraal, where -the birds were penned at night. -</p> - -<p> -Jack found that the "boys" had finished -their task of fastening up the ostriches -committed to their charge, and were standing in -a group, chattering in their guttural Kaffir -tongue. A few yards away was Pat O'Neill, -an Irishman hailing from the wilds of -Connaught, who had followed the fortunes of -the Lovat family as general factotum from the -day the Scotch laird had landed in the colony. -</p> - -<p> -Jack's quick eye glanced at the Kaffirs, after -which he strode towards the place where Pat -was standing contemplatively smoking a short -black duddeen. Pat on seeing his young master -approach, came instantly to the salute; for the -Connemara man, twenty years before, had -formed one of the glorious defenders of Rorke's -Drift. -</p> - -<p> -"Where is Saul?" inquired Jack of the -Irishman. -</p> - -<p> -"He has gone on an errand for the mistress, -sorr," answered Pat. "One of Master Butler's -children down the valley is laid up wid fever, -an' the mistress, who is good to every one, has -sent some cooling medicine for the poor thing, -which will do it good, please God. Has the -master returned from Springbokfontein?" -</p> - -<p> -"He has not arrived yet, Pat," answered -Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"Then I shall be mighty glad when I see -him," observed the Irishman. -</p> - -<p> -"Things are all right, Pat," said Jack, -forcing a laugh. -</p> - -<p> -"They may be, and may not be, sorr," -remarked Pat. "Zacchary has just told me -that a commando of Boers under the daring -leader, Christian Uys, is trekking this way. -The last time the Boers were heard of they -were in the Upper Zak River district. How -in the world these niggers get news, sorr, is -more than Pat O'Neill, late corporal in the -ould 24th Regiment, can understand. Shall -I saddle up and go to meet the master, -sorr?" -</p> - -<p> -"Not a bad idea, Pat. Just wait a moment -until I see mother;" and Jack went inside the -farmhouse, where he found Mrs. Lovat peering -through a window at the long winding road -leading down the valley towards Springbokfontein. -</p> - -<p> -Hearing footsteps, Mrs. Lovat turned round, -and seeing Jack, said, "I'm dreadfully anxious -about your father, Jack. I cannot understand -why he has not returned. It is so unlike him -to disappoint me." -</p> - -<p> -"He'll be all right, mother," observed Jack -cheerfully. "Very probably he has met some -one he has not seen for a time. He is sure to -be here before nightfall. Did he take any -lamps? I was busy branding an ostrich when -he went away." -</p> - -<p> -"Yes, he trimmed the lamps and put them -on before he set out," answered Mrs. Lovat. -"I was rather surprised, as I thought he would -not need them." -</p> - -<p> -"These South African roads are not good, -and people are delayed sometimes," said Jack. -"Pat is going down the road to meet him, so -cheer up, mother. Where is Mary?" -</p> - -<p> -"She has a bad headache, Jack, and is lying -down on the couch in the dining-room," replied -Mrs. Lovat. "I do wish this time of dreadful -uncertainty was over. It seems to be wearing -my life out." -</p> - -<p> -"I should like to take part in the war, -mother," said Jack. "I sometimes get tired -of the humdrum life we lead. Why didn't dad -allow me to join the Scouts Mr. Driscoll raised -when the war broke out? I can fight as well as -any man, and I know I can shoot straight." -</p> - -<p> -"Jack!" -</p> - -<p> -"I did not mean to hurt your feelings, -mother; but if any Boers come here to harm -you or Mary, they will have a bad time of it, -so long as I can stand on my feet or hold a -rifle." -</p> - -<p> -Tears came into gentle Mrs. Lovat's eyes, -as she replied, "The war spirit is a dreadful -thing, Jack. It seems a crime in this twentieth -century for men to be so anxious to imbrue -their hands in their fellow-creatures' blood. -I am always saying, 'Lord! how long?'" -</p> - -<p> -"Well, all I can say, mother, is that if any -Boers try to take Kopje Farm, while I can -handle my rifle, they will stand a chance of -being winged for their pains," observed Jack. -"No Boers come here unless I am disabled -and can't stop them. I am going now to tell -Pat to saddle up and give a look-out for dad;" -and saying this, he strode out of the apartment -and walked to where Pat was still standing -staring at the road leading to Springbokfontein. -</p> - -<p> -"Pat!" -</p> - -<p> -"Yes, sorr," answered the Irishman, coming -to attention; "I'm at your service, sorr." -</p> - -<p> -"Put the saddle on Cawdor and gallop -down the road. If you should happen to -meet father, you need not say that I sent -you. You understand?" -</p> - -<p> -"I know your meaning perfectly well, sorr," -replied Pat; and the honest fellow walked -to the stables, where he saddled Cawdor, a -beautiful Arab, which Mr. Lovat had purchased -at Worcester a year before, while on his -ostrich-selling peregrinations. -</p> - -<p> -Jack looked attentively at Pat's preparations. -The Irishman spent some time in examining -the saddlery, paying special attention to the -girths, and being apparently satisfied with his -inspection, he mounted. -</p> - -<p> -"You have forgotten your rifle," said Jack. -"You had better take it with you." -</p> - -<p> -"I've got a barker, sorr," observed Pat, -with a laugh, tapping his hip-pocket. "An -officer of the ould corps gave it me many years -ago, an' we've not parted company yet." -</p> - -<p> -"Wait here till I return," said Jack authoritatively; -and the settler's son went back to the -house. -</p> - -<p> -Jack proceeded straight to a storeroom -where Mr. Lovat was in the habit of keeping -his rifles and ammunition. He selected a -weapon of the Lee-Enfield pattern, and took -down a bandolier which was hanging on a peg. -The bandolier was empty, but Jack broke open -an ammunition box and filled the pockets of the -belt with cartridges, after which he returned -to Pat. -</p> - -<p> -"Here, take these, Pat," said Jack, handing -up the rifle and bandolier, which the Irishman -took. The latter slung the belt over his -shoulder, and, at Jack's suggestion, filled the -magazine of the rifle. -</p> - -<p> -"Well, good-bye, sorr," said Pat, and the -next moment Cawdor was proceeding at a -canter down the mountain road. -</p> - -<p> -An hour passed, still no signs of Mr. Lovat -or Pat, and Jack's anxiety increased. The -ostrich farmer was a man of his word, and -Jack began to fear that something was wrong, -but he kept a cheerful face in front of his -mother and Mary. -</p> - -<p> -They were sitting in the dining-room, -partaking of tea, when a tap was heard on the -half-open door. Jack instantly rose to his -feet and went outside. In the hall stood Pete. -The Kaffir did not speak, but beckoned with -his forefinger, and then passed through a door -leading to a back yard. -</p> - -<p> -Jack followed, and when outside, said, -"Well, Pete, what is it?" -</p> - -<p> -"Baas Jack," exclaimed Pete, "I dunno, -but something is wrong. Come!" and the -native walked rapidly round to the front of -the house, Jack following in wonderment. -</p> - -<p> -"Look, baas," said the Kaffir, "what does -that mean?" and he pointed to what appeared -to be a moving spot on the veldt. -</p> - -<p> -Jack gazed long and earnestly. "Why, it -is a horse without a rider!" he exclaimed at -last. -</p> - -<p> -Kaffirs are noted for their keenness of -vision, and shading his eyes with his right -hand, Pete observed, "The horse is coming -dis way, Baas Jack." -</p> - -<p> -Pete was right. Nearer and nearer came -the flying quadruped, until at last the stirrups -from an empty saddle could be seen swaying -backwards and forwards. -</p> - -<p> -Jack's breath came thick and fast. The -horse in a mad gallop was approaching -them. -</p> - -<p> -"Baas Jack," cried Pete, "it is Bessie!" -</p> - -<p> -And so it proved. A few moments later, -Mary's pet, the beautiful creature Mr. Lovat -had driven to Springbokfontein that morning -in the Cape cart, galloped up, covered with -foam and blood! -</p> - -<p> -Bessie was trembling in every limb, but she -whinnied gently as Jack patted her neck. On -Bessie's back was a Boer saddle. A sudden -fear descended on Jack Lovat, and mentally -he asked the question, "What has happened -to father?" -</p> - -<p> -The mare was bleeding from a wound in -the right shoulder, evidently caused by a -bullet. -</p> - -<p> -"Take her round to the stables, Pete," said -Jack. "I will join you presently." Saying -this, he went into the house. He met -Mrs. Lovat coming out of the dining-room, and she -at once accosted him. -</p> - -<p> -"What is the matter, Jack? I heard the -noise of hoofs just now. Is it your father who -has returned?" -</p> - -<p> -"No, he has not come yet, mother," answered -Jack. "You must finish your tea. Pete wants -me round at the stables. I shall be back -presently;" and he went out again, but -Mrs. Lovat followed him. -</p> - -<p> -Pete was busily engaged in rubbing down -the mare, and when Mrs. Lovat caught a -glimpse of the blood on the poor creature's -hide, she cried out, "Why, Jack, it is Bessie! -Where is your father?" and the settler's wife -burst into a flood of tears. -</p> - -<p> -"You are in the way just now, mother," -said Jack gently. "Go inside, until I have -seen to Bessie. Something, I am afraid, has -happened. The poor thing is in great pain, -and I must do what I can to relieve it. Do -go inside, please, mother. I will come to you -presently."' -</p> - -<p> -Mrs. Lovat, whose vivid imagination had -conjured up all kinds of evils, obeyed Jack, and -returned to the house. -</p> - -<p> -Now Jack Lovat's sterling qualities of -coolness and resource began to be displayed. -With the skill of an experienced veterinary -surgeon, he examined Bessie's wound, and -then carefully washed away the coagulated -blood. A gaping orifice an inch in diameter -in the animal's shoulder told Jack that it was -a gunshot wound and that it had been caused -by a Mauser expanding bullet. -</p> - -<p> -The "boys" had gathered round, all anxious -to help; but Jack would allow no other hands -than those of himself and Pete to touch the -mare, so the Kaffirs drew back, and stood -whispering among themselves. -</p> - -<p> -Suddenly a clattering noise was heard, and -before the "boys" could get out of the way, -Pat O'Neill, mounted on Cawdor, whose chest -and flanks were foam-flecked, was on the top -of them, sending Zacchary and Moses tumbling -to the ground. -</p> - -<p> -The Irishman was bareheaded, and the -arteries in his temples stood out like -whipcord. He pulled Cawdor up, and dismounted. -Jack, with wildly dilated eyes, queried, -"What is the matter, Pat? Have you seen -father?" -</p> - -<p> -"No, sorr," gasped the faithful Irishman, -"I haven't seen the master; but a Boer -commando—bad luck to them!—is making -straight for us. And I'm afraid, sorr, it will -be a bad job for all of us. Their scouts are -close at hand even now. You'll fight, sorr?" -</p> - -<p> -"Yes, we will all fight, Pat," answered -Jack proudly. "Boys, all at once to the -storeroom. Pete, take Bessie into the stable -and give her some water and a feed of corn. -I'm sorry for mother and Mary, but it can't be -helped. No surrender to the Boers!" -</p> - -<p> -And Jack Lovat, although only a lad, and -suffering under dire apprehension, began his -preparations for the defence of the Kopje -Farm. -</p> - -<p> -His worthy henchman, Pat O'Neill, had -often detailed to him the story of the glorious -defence of Rorke's Drift, where a few -Britishers, many of whom were sick and -wounded, for hours, amid flames and death-dealing -bullets, had held at bay the flower -of savage Tshingwayo's command. -</p> - -<p> -"Master Jack," said Pat, as Mr. Lovat's -son stopped for a moment in his work, "we -will hould the place for the sake of the missis -an' Miss Mary, an' please the Almighty, I -hope wid the same results as we had at the -Drift on the Buffalo River, when eight Victoria -Crosses were won in one night." -</p> - -<p> -"We will hold it to the last, Pat," responded -Jack quietly. "My father has had to work -hard for all he has, and the Boers shan't -take it from him while my finger can pull a -trigger;" and Jack Lovat meant every word -he said. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap02"></a></p> - -<h3> -CHAPTER II -<br /><br /> -A BOER LAAGER -</h3> - -<p> -Eleven miles north-west of Orangefontein, -and an almost equal distance from Springbokfontein, -a party of Boers were laagered. They -were Free Staters, with a sprinkling of -Hollanders and renegade Britons—the latter, -few in number, having at one time served -with the English colours, and owing to their -misdeeds, had deserted or been drummed out -of the British army. -</p> - -<p> -Nearly all were in rags, for that ubiquitous -cavalry leader, General French, had not allowed -them a minute's rest, but had hurried and -harried them hither and thither, until the -majority of the burghers had grown sick and -tired of the guerilla warfare, and wished for -the end to come. -</p> - -<p> -Their portable possessions—and indeed the -latter could not be otherwise than portable—were -stowed away in a few light Cape carts. -</p> - -<p> -Ammunition was scarce, and had to be -husbanded with the greatest care, while food -could only be procured with much difficulty -from the scattered farmsteads among the -mountains of the Langeberg Range. -</p> - -<p> -A Boer of immense stature, holding in his -right hand a formidable sjambok, was leaning -against the wheel of one of the carts. He -was a magnificent specimen of physical -manhood, and the privations that for two long -years he had uncomplainingly endured had -only served to increase his tremendous muscular -strength. -</p> - -<p> -His bronzed and deeply marked features -showed a strength of will and determination -rare even in that race of obstinate men, the -Boers of South Africa. -</p> - -<p> -An immense beard swept his breast, the hair -composing it being streaked with gray. When -Christian Uys first shouldered his rifle on the -outbreak of hostilities he was, comparatively -speaking, a young man, but under the sombre -folds of the flag of war he had grown -prematurely aged and gray. -</p> - -<p> -A young burgher passing with a led horse, -with a limping gait, arrested his attention, and -awoke him from the train of gloomy reveries -he was indulging in. -</p> - -<p> -"Ah, Van Donnop," said the commandant, -"I wish to speak to you. What is the matter -with your horse?" -</p> - -<p> -The burgher whom he addressed was a -sprightly young fellow of nineteen, strongly -made, and as agile as the springbok he had -hunted from youth upwards. -</p> - -<p> -"It is lame, Commandant," answered the -youth. "One of its pasterns is split. I do not -think it will be able to travel farther. And -my favourite horse, too. I am very sorry, for -it has been mine since it was a foal." -</p> - -<p> -"I too am sorry, Piet," said the officer in a -sympathising tone of voice. "We are greatly -in need of horses." -</p> - -<p> -The commandant stooped down and -examined the horse's hoofs, after which he -looked up and remarked in a grave tone of -voice, "A bad case, Piet. The poor brute must -be killed." -</p> - -<p> -A crimson flush surged up into the face of -the young burgher, and he exclaimed excitedly, -"Do not ask me to kill her, Commandant! She -was my mother's gift to me when I was sixteen. -I am hoping to leave her at my father's farm -and obtain another mount in her place." -</p> - -<p> -A look of pity crept into the commandant's -face as he gazed at the boy. -</p> - -<p> -"Ah, I forgot, Van Donnop," said the Boer -leader; "you are now in your native parts. -How long have you served in my commando?" -</p> - -<p> -The young burgher thought for a moment, -and then answered, "From three months -before we beat the rooineks at Koorn Spruit, -near the Waterworks. Let me see, that is now -going on for two years. You will allow me -to keep the mare, Commandant?" Van Donnop -asked beseechingly. -</p> - -<p> -"But how will you travel?" asked Uys. -</p> - -<p> -"I am fleet of foot, and do not mind the -hardship," pleaded the lad. "If I may only -keep my horse, I shall be happy. She is part -of myself;" and Piet's voice faltered as he -went on, "She who gave me the mare is -dead." -</p> - -<p> -Piet stroked the finely arched neck of the -mare, and the gentle creature rubbed its tawny -muzzle against the young burgher's cheek. -</p> - -<p> -"We shall see," said the commandant at last. -"By the way, you and your brother Jan know -this countryside well. If we are to reach -Port Nolloth, we must have more mounts. -Do you know any likely place where we can -replenish our stock of horses?" -</p> - -<p> -"There is one farm where many horses are -kept—at least there used to be, when I was -at home." -</p> - -<p> -"And where is that?" asked the commandant. -"To whom does the farm belong?" -</p> - -<p> -"To a settler named Lovat," answered Piet. -</p> - -<p> -"One of our race?" interrogated the commandant. -</p> - -<p> -"He is opposed to us," replied Piet; "his -name is a foreign one. He is a Scotch settler -who breeds many horses and ostriches." -</p> - -<p> -"Has he helped the rooineks?" queried -Uys, and a frown passed over his face. -</p> - -<p> -"He does not sympathise with us, Commandant," -answered Piet, "but I do not think -he has favoured one side or the other. I -believe he is entirely taken up with looking -after his ostriches." -</p> - -<p> -"And you can guide us to this farm?" -asked the commandant. "Possibly he may -have some spare nags." -</p> - -<p> -Piet Van Donnop evidently did not like the -suggested commission, and the commandant, -noting this, went on: "We must have some -mounts, Piet, or the rooineks will catch us. If -that happens, I'm afraid our fate will be a sorry -one. A regiment of Lancers—the men who -cut up the Transvaalers at Elandslaagte—as -well as several troops of New Zealanders are -on our track, and without fresh horses we -shall stand an almost sure chance of capture." -</p> - -<p> -"You will not harm Mr. Lovat or his -family?" asked Piet. -</p> - -<p> -A smile played for a moment on the commandant's -stern features, then he said, "Not -at all, Piet. Why should we? I'm afraid your -heart is concerned in the matter. But of -course we must have what we require, and -very few questions asked into the bargain." -</p> - -<p> -"I will guide you, then," said the young -burgher. "I may keep my horse, Commandant?" -</p> - -<p> -"We shall see in the morning, boy," was -the only reply vouchsafed by the Boer leader; -and Piet moved on, leading his lame horse. -</p> - -<p> -Taking out an immense pipe from one of -his pockets, Christian Uys filled it with leaf -tobacco, lit up, and began to smoke. -</p> - -<p> -The commandant was evidently in a tender -mood, for his thoughts were in distant Winburg, -where his wife and the children left to him -were being sheltered in a concentration camp, -created by his arch-enemies, the British. -</p> - -<p> -His was a strange compound of human -nature. At times generous and kind, at -others he was fierce, implacable, and relentless. -Like his famous leader, General Joubert, -at the outset he had realised that the struggle -in which his country had engaged was a hopeless -one, but with the obstinacy characteristic -of his race, when once his hand was put to -the plough, there was no turning back. -</p> - -<p> -Christian Uys had already lost three sons -in the war. His youngest, a boy of fifteen, -and the flower of the commandant's family, -had been shot in the stomach at Senekal. -The brave boy hid his wound and continued -on the march, although a trail of blood -marked the path along which he rode, until -he fell exhausted from his saddle, and with -his dying breath, and a look of intense love -in his eyes, said, "Father, I can fight no more, -I am done." These were the brave lad's last -words, and like others on both sides, yielded -up his spirit for the cause in which he thought -he was righteously fighting. -</p> - -<p> -An older brother had been with the fierce -Cronje in the honeycombed banks of the -Modder, amidst the brown sulphurous smoke -of bursting lyddite shells, and while bringing -water for a wounded comrade from the polluted -stream, had been struck squarely in the chest -by a Lee-Enfield bullet, and had fallen on his -face, never to rise again. -</p> - -<p> -The last to die was the oldest boy of the -family. A delicate youth at the best, he had -gone on commando with his father when the -vierkeleur was first hoisted in the field. For -several months he had fought and roughed it -with the rest, until foul enteric seized him, and -the ranks of the Boer army knew him no more. -He found a last resting-place in a shallow grave -on the veldt, not many miles from his birthplace. -</p> - -<p> -Christian Uys woke up from his reverie -and took a stroll round the laager. Here -was Jan Steen, once a well-to-do jeweller of -Winburg, who before war broke out was -always immaculately dressed, with ample -starched shirt front and bejewelled fingers; -there Van Sterck, the learned medico of the -same town. Neither had had a change of -raiment for months, and both looked -correspondingly miserable. Yonder stood Louis -Bredon, the dandy of Harrismith, now a -veritable scarecrow in trousers made of -sacking on which the address of a large -milling concern in Johannesburg was branded -in staring black letters. Bredon, like the rest -of the commando, was weary of the daily -trekking, discomfort, and misery incidental to -warfare, and his mind was wandering back -to the time when he used to walk down the -shady side of Harrismith's main street, the -cynosure of the belles of the Free State town. -</p> - -<p> -"You look discontented, Bredon," said Uys. -"I am afraid you are like most of my burghers. -We cannot give in now, after we have endured -so much. There has not been sufficient fighting -of late to keep up your martial spirit. We -want horses, Bredon, and they must be obtained, -if we are to reach Port Nolloth. Otherwise -we had better surrender." -</p> - -<p> -"I have no objection, Commandant," replied -Bredon somewhat brusquely. "I've had enough -of the war. We ought never to have been -drawn into it." -</p> - -<p> -"You speak like a patriot," observed Uys -sarcastically. "I undergo the same hardships -as other burghers. You have suffered nothing -as yet. In what respect have you endured -more than the rest of us?" -</p> - -<p> -Bredon hung down his head in a sheepish -manner and remained silent. -</p> - -<p> -"I am finding a cure for your melancholy -and dissatisfaction, Bredon. I am detaching a -portion of the commando for the duty of -securing a fresh supply of horses. Van -Donnop is acting as guide to the farmstead -of a settler named Lovat. You will form -one of the commandeering party;" and Uys -passed on. -</p> - -<p> -"To think," muttered the commandant, -"fellows such as Bredon were the most eager -at the outset, and now they begin to whine -when a little hardship has to be borne! My -poor Christian, Louis, and Wilhelm were -formed of different stuff." -</p> - -<p> -Christian Uys came up to a man who was -busily engaged in cleaning his Mauser. The -burgher laid down his rifle as the commandant -approached. -</p> - -<p> -"Eloff," began Uys, "I want you to pick -a dozen good men of the commando. Before -morning I must have half a score of horses. -Piet Van Donnop knows a farm where they -can be obtained, and will guide you to it." -</p> - -<p> -Paul Eloff was a man built in the same -herculean mould as his leader, Christian Uys, -and he looked at the commandant keenly. -</p> - -<p> -"We shall want more, Commandant," said -Eloff; "a dozen will scarcely suffice. Let me -see," and the Boer began counting rapidly -on his fingers, after which he added, "Yes, -quite a dozen, Commandant. The spare led -horses were taken as mounts yesterday. We -must reach Port Nolloth, or we shall be cut -off by the rooineks." -</p> - -<p> -"You will muster the burghers, then, Eloff," -said Uys. "Bring them round to the -commissariat waggon within half an hour, and -do not forget Van Donnop. Although a boy, -his heart is good." -</p> - -<p> -"I will not fail, Commandant," replied Eloff, -picking up his rifle and recommencing the -cleansing process. -</p> - -<p> -In less than the stipulated time, Eloff with -his picked burghers stood before the -commandant, each man at his horse's head. -</p> - -<p> -Christian Uys called Eloff aside and -whispered, "Do you think you are sufficiently -strong for the purpose in hand?" -</p> - -<p> -"I should make the patrol fifty strong, -Commandant," answered Eloff. "You are -remaining in laager, I suppose, until we -return?" -</p> - -<p> -"That is my intention, Eloff," answered Uys. -"Van Donnop informed me that the Kopje -Farm—this Scotch settler's residence—is some -eight miles from here. You will keep a sharp -look-out for the rooineks, Eloff, and not be -caught napping?" -</p> - -<p> -A smile spread over Eloff's face as he -answered, "When I am found asleep, Commandant, -I shall not return to tell the tale. -We have got to the end of our tether, and -I am longing to have one more go at the -rooineks. After that, well—oblivion." -</p> - -<p> -"It is a bad cause we have started on, Eloff," -said Uys. "It is as General Joubert foretold -at the beginning, we are fighting in a lost -cause. How can we hope to stand against a -mighty Power like England, which has millions -of gold and men without number? Bah! we -were a race of fools to be led by the nose. -President Kruger, who commenced the war, -basely deserted us. But I must not speak of -this. It is horses we want, and horses we -must have." -</p> - -<p> -Paul Eloff quickly mustered the additional -burghers required, and in sections of fours the -motley cavalcade trekked towards the Kopje -Farm. -</p> - -<p> -Eloff and Van Donnop rode at the head of -the slender force, and the former turning to -the young Dutchman, said, "This is a rough -country, Van Donnop. You spent most of your -life here?" -</p> - -<p> -"Until I went on commando," answered Piet. -"I shall be glad when I can get back to my -father's farm. Those were happy days, Eloff." -</p> - -<p> -"You know the farmstead whither we are -bound," inquired Eloff, "and the people as -well, I suppose?" -</p> - -<p> -"Perfectly," answered Piet. -</p> - -<p> -"And what about the owner? Is he a -fighting man? Shall we have much trouble?" -</p> - -<p> -"Mr. Lovat is quiet enough," replied Piet. -"He has a son named Jack, a dare-devil sort -of boy, who will show fight, I think, but -possibly he may be on commando with the -rooineks." -</p> - -<p> -"Any Kaffirs kept on the farm?" queried -Eloff. -</p> - -<p> -"There used to be many," answered Van -Donnop. "I do not wish any harshness to be -used towards Mr. Lovat. He used to be very -kind to me before I went on commando. The -horses will be paid for, I suppose?" -</p> - -<p> -Eloff laughed outright as he replied, "Van -Donnop, I don't think a single gold piece -can be found in the pockets of the whole -commando. My instructions are to take what -we require—as civilly, of course, as possible. -The account will be paid when the vierkeleur -flies not over the Transvaal and Orange Free -State only, but over the whole of the Cape. A -receipt for the horses, of course, will be given." -</p> - -<p> -The Boers, who had been travelling through -a series of dongas, now debouched into a fairly -open country. -</p> - -<p> -Eloff halted his men, and after looking -ahead, turned to Van Donnop. -</p> - -<p> -"You have a pair of field glasses, Van -Donnop, allow me to look through them." -</p> - -<p> -Piet handed the glasses to Eloff, who placed -them to his eyes. -</p> - -<p> -"There is a farmhouse, Van Donnop, on a -kopje some four miles ahead," said Eloff; "is -it the home of this Mr. Lovat?" -</p> - -<p> -"That is where Mr. Lovat used to live," -replied Piet; "things have changed much -lately." -</p> - -<p> -"A big place for a farmstead," observed -Eloff. "This Mr. Lovat must be rich." -</p> - -<p> -"He is said to be fairly wealthy," answered -Piet. "He was a nobleman in his own country, -so I have heard it said." -</p> - -<p> -"And the house lower down the valley, -to whom does that belong?" queried Eloff. -"Take the glasses, Van Donnop, then you will -see what I mean. Over there;" and the Boer -pointed with his index finger in a certain -direction. -</p> - -<p> -"That is Jagger's Farm," said Piet, after a -glance through the glasses. "No horses can -be obtained there. The farm has not been -occupied for years." -</p> - -<p> -"We will march straight on the place, -Van Donnop, rest a while, and then move -on to—what is the name of the place, -Piet?" -</p> - -<p> -"The Kopje Farm," replied the young -Dutchman. "Someone is driving a Cape cart -towards Jagger's Farm, Eloff." -</p> - -<p> -"Right you are, Van Donnop. Give me -the glasses again," said Eloff. -</p> - -<p> -Eloff peered through the instrument for a -moment, after which he ordered half a dozen -burghers to gallop rapidly towards Jagger's -Farm, in order to intercept the solitary -passenger in the Cape cart, while he and his -remaining fellow-countrymen dismounted and -awaited events. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap03"></a></p> - -<h3> -CHAPTER III -<br /><br /> -FRINGED WITH FIRE -</h3> - -<p> -Kopje was singularly well situated for -defence. From the rising ground behind the -house, no attack could be made by mounted -men, as it was strewn with big boulders of -rock, and interlaced with dongas, which though -not deep, presented insuperable difficulties to -an enemy manoeuvring on horseback. -</p> - -<p> -The ostrich kraals—which were in reality -one long rambling building—commanded the -country from which the only attack by mounted -men could be made, and the ground in front -was open. -</p> - -<p> -On receipt of Pat's intelligence, Jack went -to his mother and told her the news brought -by the Irishman. He insisted upon her as well -as Mary remaining inside the house, and would -not listen to her suggestion that if the Boers -were really advancing upon the farmstead, they -should be allowed to take whatever they pleased, -on condition they harmed none of its inmates. -</p> - -<p> -"No, mother," said Jack firmly; "I have -always been obedient, but any Boer who dares -to enter Kopje Farm without an invitation -from me will have a bullet from my rifle -through him before he can say 'Jack -Robinson'! Please say no more, mother. -Father is not here, and may be dead, but if he -is all right I could never look him in the face -again if I did not show fight. Stay inside -with Mary, and do not venture out until I -come for you. I must go to the 'boys' now, as -time is precious;" and saying this, Jack went -across to the ostrich kraal, where the Kaffir -servants were assembled. -</p> - -<p> -The sun was within half an hour of setting, -and the light was good enough to enable our -hero—for such Jack Lovat will prove to be -before we bid him adieu—to distinguish a -body of horsemen moving in an oblique -direction across the veldt. Pat had stabled -Cawdor, and stood awaiting orders from Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"We must have the rifles and ammunition -from the storeroom, Pat," said Jack, "and -quick must be the word. Kindly look after -the boys, Pat. Zacchary, Pete, and the lot -of you, go and bring the rifles; and don't -forget, Pete, to bring a hammer. One moment, -Pat; a couple of lanterns will be needed, as -well as some matches." -</p> - -<p> -Strange it is that fighting blood is transmitted -from generation to generation, but so it -proved in Jack Lovat's case. An ancestor of -his had suffered death on Culloden field for -what he considered his duty towards the -unfortunate race of Stuarts, and Jack was -prepared to lay down his life in the defence of -the Kopje Farm. -</p> - -<p> -In the excitement of the moment he forgot -about his father's possible peril. His thoughts -were concentrated on the question, "Can I -strike a blow for the honour of the old -country?" Jack had not gone through a -course of metaphysics or logic. He was -simply a lad, made a man before his time -perhaps, and yearning for an outlet through -which a vast flood of pent-up patriotism could -be poured. -</p> - -<p> -Pat and the "boys," in almost less time than -it takes to relate, transferred the arms to the -ostrich kraal. The weapons were in splendid -order. Jack Lovat had seen to that. Many -hours he had spent in cleaning the rifles, -always hoping, boylike, that some day they -would come in handy, when the Boers put in -an appearance. -</p> - -<p> -The ungainly-looking ostriches, penned in -spaces of rectangular form, craned their -far-stretching necks, all the while uttering the -grunt peculiar to the birds, dubbed by -naturalists <i>Struthio Camelus</i>. -</p> - -<p> -A passage, four feet in width, ran between -the inner walls of the kraal and the high -hurdles forming the temporary home of the -ostriches. Four feet above the flagged floor -of the kraal were loopholes, and these presently -had the barrels of rifles protruding from them. -</p> - -<p> -A couple of thousand rounds of ammunition, -in boxes holding one hundred each, were -placed in handy positions, and Pete with -much dexterity knocked off the lids of the -boxes, thus exposing the little nickel-plated -messengers of death. -</p> - -<p> -Each "boy" was given a rifle, and by the -way the magazines were charged it was evident -that the weapons had been handled before. -</p> - -<p> -Pat, who was peering through a loophole, -cried out, "The beggars are coming, sorr, an' -they're more than fifty strong." -</p> - -<p> -Jack, who was engaged in inspecting the -"boys'" rifles, at once went up to Pat. -</p> - -<p> -"How far off do you make them now, -Pat?" he asked. -</p> - -<p> -"Bedad! they seem to be only five hundred -yards away," answered the Irishman. But Pat -was wrong in his conjecture, and Pete at once -corrected him. -</p> - -<p> -"Dey be quite a mile from de farm, Baas -Jack," said the Kaffir. "De eyes ob white -men do not see right—at least not in dis -country." -</p> - -<p> -A peep through a loophole told Jack that -Pete's estimate was a correct one. The South -African atmosphere is so clear that distance -seems annihilated on the veldt. -</p> - -<p> -Jack addressed a few words to the defenders -of the farm. "Boys," he began, "before long -we may be in a tight hole. I am going to run -the show for what it is worth. It shall never -be said that Christian Uys and his men took -Kopje Farm without a shot being fired. You -boys, of course, know what it will mean if any -of you are captured with arms in your hands. -A sjambokking first, and possibly after that a -Mauser bullet through the head. We must -have no white-flag business here. If any of -you boys don't care to fight, there is time for -you to get away over the kopje. Pat and I -mean to stay here till the last." -</p> - -<p> -"We stay with the baas as well," said Pete -emphatically; and in Kaffir fashion the whole -of the "boys" held up their right hands, -extending the index finger in a significant -manner. -</p> - -<p> -"Thanks," returned Jack. "And now to -business!" -</p> - -<p> -The eyes of the Kaffirs were fixed on -something behind Jack, and the latter noting this, -turned quickly round. To his great surprise, -his eyes fell upon the figures of his mother -and Mary. -</p> - -<p> -"This is no place for you, mother," said -Jack. "You must return to the house. It is -quite safe there." -</p> - -<p> -"But what does this mean, Jack?" asked -Mrs. Lovat, pointing to the ammunition boxes -and rifles. "This will be death to someone. -My dear boy, pray do be careful." -</p> - -<p> -"All right, mother," said Jack, with a laugh. -"I'll be more than careful. But you must go -back to the house. You will only be in the -way here." -</p> - -<p> -"I am almost distracted, Jack. Your father -may be dead;" and Mrs. Lovat broke into a -paroxysm of tears. "This cruel war is killing -me. Why cannot things be settled without -recourse to bloodshed?" -</p> - -<p> -Had Mrs. Lovat passed through the same -experiences as many settlers' wives in Natal -and the northern parts of Cape Colony, the -exclamation might have been a justifiable one. -As it was, the black wings of Azrael, the Angel -of Death, were beginning to flap over the -Kopje Farm, and the ostrich farmer's wife, -whose nature was a curious compound of -kindness, fear, credulity, and misgiving, began -to show signs of fainting. -</p> - -<p> -Not so Mary Lovat. Although only a girl -in her early teens, she possessed a large share -of her brother Jack's mental and moral courage, -and she came up and whispered in Jack's ear, -"Mother will go back to the house with me, -but I should so much like to stay here." -</p> - -<p> -Pat O'Neill ended Mary's whispering somewhat -abruptly, but quietly. He had been -patrolling the rough ground outside the Kopje -Farm, and coming inside the walled enclosure, -walked swiftly up to Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"The Boers are near at hand, sorr," he -whispered. "What is the missis doing here? -This is no place for ladies. Shall I take them -across to the house?" -</p> - -<p> -The next moment, Mrs. Lovat and Mary, -escorted by Pat and Moses, were passing -under the shelter of the dry stone wall to the -farmhouse, and Moses, who had his rifle and -a supply of ammunition with him, was told to -stay with the "missis" until he was sent for. -</p> - -<p> -Having seen the two ladies seated in the -dining-room, with Moses acting as their guard, -Pat returned at breakneck speed to the kraal, -where he found Jack examining the approaching -horsemen attentively through a pair of -field glasses. -</p> - -<p> -The twilight of South Africa is of short -duration, but the light was still good. -</p> - -<p> -"They are Boers," said Jack, handing the -glasses to his faithful henchman. "Just give a -look, Pat, and tell me, if you can, how many -there are, and what distance they are now from -the farm." -</p> - -<p> -Pat placed the binocular to his optics and -gazed for a moment down the valley, after -which he spoke. -</p> - -<p> -"Right you are, sorr; they're Boers sure -enough, and well within half a mile av us. -About fifty or more, I should say, sorr, an' a -big fellow in front is houlding a white flag. -You saw the chap, sorr, the man on the gray -horse. Now they have halted, and, bedad, the -man is coming forrard. See for yourself, -sorr;" and the worthy Irishman handed back -the glasses to his young master. -</p> - -<p> -It took but a moment to convince Jack that -Pat was right, and that a Boer was approaching -under a flag of truce. -</p> - -<p> -"Inside at once, Pat!" our hero cried; and -the pair entered the kraal. -</p> - -<p> -"Man the loopholes, boys!" said Jack; and -the Kaffirs, whose rifle magazines were charged, -stood to their posts. Nine murderous-looking -small-bore rifles were instantly pointed down -the valley. -</p> - -<p> -The man on the gray horse had halted a -couple of hundred paces in front of the party -of horsemen, as though undecided what to do. -</p> - -<p> -"I'll interview him, sorr," said Pat, whose -place was next to Jack Lovat. "I'll go and -see what the rascal wants." -</p> - -<p> -"I was thinking about the same thing -myself," observed Jack. "Maybe it will be the -best thing that can be done. No, you must -not take your rifle; and put that bandolier off, -Pat." -</p> - -<p> -"All right, sorr. I'm anyhow for an aisy -life. An' conscience," replied the brave -Irishman, "I've got the barker, sorr, if things -come to the worst. Then I can go, Master -Jack?" -</p> - -<p> -"Certainly, Pat; just slip down and see what -the thieving rascals want. But remember, we -have no remounts at Kopje Farm for them." -</p> - -<p> -"I understand, sorr," said Pat; and the -ex-soldier walked boldly out of the kraal to the -spot where the individual on the gray horse -had halted. -</p> - -<p> -Pat, whose stride was none of the shortest, -made rapid tracks towards the solitary horseman, -whose left hand grasped a short stick -to the end of which was attached a white -handkerchief, while the right supported the -barrel of a Mauser rifle, the butt end of which -rested on his thigh. -</p> - -<p> -"Halt!" cried the horseman in perfect -English, as Pat came up. "Who and what are -you?" -</p> - -<p> -"That is my business," answered Pat. "I -will put a more pertinent question to you. -Long-whiskers! who an' what are you, an' -what do you mane by disturbing honest folk -in these lonely parts?" -</p> - -<p> -"Have you any horses at the farmstead just -ahead?" asked the stranger. "This is a part -of Christian Uys's commando, and we want a -few Boer ponies badly." -</p> - -<p> -"You said Boer ponies?" said Pat interrogatively. -</p> - -<p> -"I spoke plainly enough, I think," answered -the Boer. "We are in need of a few horses, -which the British Government will pay for. -We will give a receipt for them." -</p> - -<p> -"The master has some grand nags," said -Pat, "but av course he will want payment for -them. Can you pay on the nail?" -</p> - -<p> -The Boer, who was not by any means a bad-looking -man of about fifty, laughed outright at -Pat's <i>insouciance</i>. -</p> - -<p> -The Irishman went on: "Will the paper -hould good if the master lets you have -them?" -</p> - -<p> -"When the vierkeleur flies over the whole of -South Africa, your master will be paid in good -gold, and that will be before many months are -over," replied the Boer. -</p> - -<p> -"And if the master does not care to part -with the animals?" inquired Pat. -</p> - -<p> -"We'll take them, of course," replied the -Boer. "We are tired of bloodshed, but we have -won the day; the rooineks can't deny that fact. -You see the burghers behind me? Well, we -are some of the fellows who cut up your crack -regiments at Sanna's Post." -</p> - -<p> -"Then I may return an' tell the master that -you'll pay for the nags?" asked Pat. -</p> - -<p> -"Certainly, but don't be long about it," -replied the Boer; "and tell your employer's -son—for the master of the house is not at -home, and won't be to-night—that any attempt -at double-dealing will be harshly dealt with. -Within ten minutes from now we will advance -upon the farm, and if necessary, take by force -all we require." -</p> - -<p> -Pat needed no further telling, but strolled -back to the farmstead, wondering all the time -whether a Boer bullet would lay him flat on -the veldt or not. -</p> - -<p> -The orange tints glimmering above the -mountains were beginning to fade into a light -purplish gray as Pat walked into the ostrich -kraal. -</p> - -<p> -Jack, naturally enough, was awaiting his -return with some anxiety. -</p> - -<p> -"They are Boers, Pat?" queried Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"Boers, sure enough," responded Pat, "an' -they've come to commandeer the horses. The -chap wid the white flag says they will pay for -them when the Boer flag waves over this -heathen part av the world." -</p> - -<p> -"That is enough for me," said Jack, after he -had listened to Pat's brief narration. "We -will wait until we see them on the move -towards us. After that, they can look to -themselves." -</p> - -<p> -The minutes seemed long, but at last, -through the dim twilight, the Boer on the gray -horse was seen waving his flag, as though -beckoning his fellow-burghers to advance. -</p> - -<p> -On seeing this, Jack Lovat elevated his -rifle, pulled the trigger, and the bullet went -whistling high over the heads of the Boers. -</p> - -<p> -The commando instantly halted, and the -advanced Boer rode quickly back to his -comrades. -</p> - -<p> -The burghers opened out in wide formation, -and dismounting, poured in a volley. The -majority of the bullets splashed against the -rough stones forming the wall of the ostrich -kraal. -</p> - -<p> -"Now, boys," cried Jack, "that is just what -I wanted. Take a careful, steady aim. Don't -fire too wildly, and let every one select his man. -There is yet enough light to see them by. -Take the word from me." -</p> - -<p> -Instantly the muzzles of nine rifles peeped -through as many loopholes, and Jack gave the -word, "Fire!" -</p> - -<p> -The reports rang out as one, and the -defenders of the farm could see that some of -their shots had taken effect, for a couple of -Boer horses broke loose, and with clattering -hoofs came galloping towards the ostrich kraal. -A desultory fire came from the Boers, but as -yet no bullets had entered the loopholes. -</p> - -<p> -"Empty your magazines," cried Jack, "but -wait for my orders. Now, boys, one, two, -three," and at each successive number a tiny -horizontal sheet of flame shot from the -loopholes. -</p> - -<p> -Yells of rage could be heard from the Boers, -mingled with groans, after which the sounds of -galloping hoofs were borne on the night air, -followed by complete silence. -</p> - -<p> -It was now quite dark, and after waiting, it -must be said somewhat anxiously for several -minutes for a renewal of the attack, Jack -ordered Pat to light the lanterns, and the -Irishman instantly obeyed, and showed himself -an adept at the work. -</p> - -<p> -Carefully shading the lighted match, so that -no stray rays of light could creep through the -loopholes, Pat lit the lanterns, when the -whinnying of horses outside attracted Jack's -attention. -</p> - -<p> -"Remain here, Pat," said Jack. "I'm going -across to the house, to give a look to my -mother and sister. Keep a sharp look-out -while I am gone, in case the beggars come -back." -</p> - -<p> -Saying this, Jack walked out into the -darkness, and the next moment stumbled -against a horse. He, however, walked swiftly -towards the house, and found Moses, rifle in -hand, guarding the hall. Jack had taken the -precaution of shouting out as he approached, -for he by no means relished the idea of a bullet -being planted between his ribs. -</p> - -<p> -Mrs. Lovat and Mary were still in the -dining-room, and as Jack entered, the former -exclaimed, "What is the meaning of all this -firing, Jack?" -</p> - -<p> -"It means, mother, that if there had been -no firing, the Boers would before now have -emptied our stables. We have beaten them -off, I think." -</p> - -<p> -"Has anyone been hurt?" inquired Mrs. Lovat -nervously. -</p> - -<p> -"Not on our side, mother," replied Jack, -with a laugh; "as far as the Boers are -concerned, I do not know. If any harm has -happened to father, then I hope we have -killed the lot of them. Moses is still on guard, -mother; you need have no fear. I shall be -back presently;" and he walked out of the -room. -</p> - -<p> -Moses, whose white teeth gleamed as Jack -passed him, said, "Dings are all right, Baas -Jack. I will see dat no Boers come in here -to frighten de missis an' de little missie." -</p> - -<p> -"Quite right, Moses," observed Jack cheerfully. -"Give the beggars beans if they come." -</p> - -<p> -"I'll do dat, baas," replied the grinning -Kaffir. -</p> - -<p> -An hour later the moon, which was on the -wane, would creep over the kopje, and give -the defenders of the farm a chance to locate -their now unseen assailants. -</p> - -<p> -A deep silence hung over the place, and -Jack groped his way along the wall leading to -the ostrich kraal. Pat evidently knew his -work, for the place was in darkness. -</p> - -<p> -Suddenly a challenge rang out: "Is that you, -sorr?" -</p> - -<p> -The speaker was Pat, whom Jack found -outside the kraal, holding a couple of horses. -</p> - -<p> -"All right, Pat," answered Jack. "The Boers -seem to have departed." -</p> - -<p> -"Then I'll take these nags inside, sorr, an' -have a look at them. The poor things are -trembling all over their bodies down to their -fetlocks." -</p> - -<p> -Jack entered the kraal, followed by Pat, -dragging the dumb brutes behind him. -</p> - -<p> -"A light here, Pete," said Jack; and the -Kaffir foreman brought a shielded lantern. -Jack turned on the light, and by its aid -examined the horses. -</p> - -<p> -By the saddlery on the animals, he came to -the conclusion that the horses had a couple of -hours before formed part of the equipment -of Christian Uys's commando, and a patch of -clotted blood on the saddle and off stirrup of -one of the horses told its own tale. -</p> - -<p> -"Bring the light a little closer, Pat. I want -to see the——" -</p> - -<p> -Jack Lovat never finished the sentence, for a -fierce fusillade was directed at the kraal from -the immediate outside, and Zacchary, who was -standing leaning on the butt of his rifle with -his head on a level with a porthole, tumbled -over—never to rise again, for a Mauser bullet -had found its billet in the unfortunate Kaffir's -head. -</p> - -<p> -"To the loopholes, boys!" cried Jack; and -the defenders replied with a will to the fire of -the unseen enemy. For half an hour a constant -fusillade was kept up, but without further -loss to the defenders of the kraal, after which -the Boer fire ceased. -</p> - -<p> -Their attempt to storm the kraal had failed. -Very tenderly Jack Lovat and Pat carried the -stricken Zacchary to a corner of the kraal, and -covered the dead body with some empty mealie -sacks, after which Jack paid another visit to -the house, where he found his mother and -Mary quite safe. -</p> - -<p> -A couple of hours were spent by Jack and -Pat in reconnoitring, but all traces of the Boers -had vanished, with the exception of a dead -horse, which evidently had been wounded and -managed to crawl towards the farm, where it -had dropped down and died. -</p> - -<p> -About two o'clock in the morning a sheet of -flame, accompanied by the reports of many -rifles, was seen far down the valley. -</p> - -<p> -"They have come up with some Britishers, -Pat," said Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"By the powers!" observed the Irishman, -"they seem to be hard at work. I would give -something to be there." -</p> - -<p> -For some minutes the firing lasted, then -ceased, and shortly afterwards the sound of -horses' hoofs could be heard coming up the -valley. -</p> - -<p> -Jack and his followers instantly manned the -loopholes, but the strangers came steadily on. -</p> - -<p> -"Shall I challenge them, sorr?" asked Pat; -and without waiting for a reply, the brave -Irishman passed out of the kraal, and with -a stentorian voice called out, "Halt! who -comes there?" at the same time levelling his -rifle at the approaching figures. -</p> - -<p> -"It is I, Pat!" shouted the master of the -Kopje Farm; and the next moment Mr. Lovat -had Jack in his arms, exclaiming, "It was a -near shave, Jack, but I am glad I am able to -see you all once more." -</p> - -<p> -Mrs. Lovat and Mary were delighted beyond -measure at Mr. Lovat's return, and with much -trembling listened to the account of his -adventures since he left the Kopje Farm on the -previous morning. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap04"></a></p> - -<h3> -CHAPTER IV -<br /><br /> -MR. LOVAT'S ADVENTURE -</h3> - -<p> -Little did Mr. Lovat dream of the -adventures he would pass through that morning -as he drove away from Kopje Farm in the -direction of Springbokfontein. Bessie was in -good condition, and trotted swiftly between the -shafts of the Cape cart, and the crisp air -exhilarated man and beast. -</p> - -<p> -When a couple of miles from home, he -met an acquaintance riding a Cape pony, and -pulled up to pass the time of day. -</p> - -<p> -"Well, Mr. Bassett," said the ostrich -farmer, "any news of the Boers?" -</p> - -<p> -Mr. Bassett—a sturdy, thick-set man of -middle age, who during his lifetime had tried his -hand at nearly every kind of occupation, and -now combined the office of land valuer with -that of gold prospector—replied, "I've just come -from Springbokfontein, Mr. Lovat, and rumours -are flying thick and fast about Christian Uys -being in the neighbourhood with a commando. -This Uys is a very daring fellow, and has -proved himself to be a most capable leader. -Their stock of horses, I suppose, is getting -low, and naturally enough the Boers want -to replenish their store." -</p> - -<p> -"Certainly," observed Mr. Lovat. "I -suppose the town guard at Springbokfontein -are on the alert?" -</p> - -<p> -"Not half of them are to be trusted," replied -Mr. Bassett grimly, "for I am afraid several of -them are rebels at heart. You have left things -all right up at the Kopje Farm, I hope?" -</p> - -<p> -"Any Boers calling there will get a warm -reception, I can assure you," replied Mr. Lovat, -with a laugh. "I think that my son and the -'boys' will be able to give a good account of -themselves, if they are interfered with. But I -must be getting along, as I wish to be back by -noon. Good-morning, Mr. Bassett;" and the -ostrich farmer flicked Bessie with his whip. -</p> - -<p> -The mare darted forward with a quick -motion, and in a short time Mr. Lovat came to -Jagger's Farm, the ruined building half way -between the Kopje Farm and Springbokfontein. -</p> - -<p> -The country was wild in the extreme. The -road ran between a range of kopjes, at the -bases of which were watercourses, dry in -summer, but at times during the winter months -raging torrents. -</p> - -<p> -Jagger's Farm had an unenviable notoriety, -several white men having been murdered in -its vicinity. The building was surrounded -by a roughly-built stone wall, which in many -places was in a state of ruin. -</p> - -<p> -The roadway was strewn with boulders of -rock, and Mr. Lovat had to descend from his -perch in the cart for the purpose of leading -Bessie along the stony roadway. -</p> - -<p> -The ostrich farmer was holding Bessie's -head, for the mare made a stumble, when a -harsh voice called out in Dutch, "Halt!" -</p> - -<p> -To Mr. Lovat's dismay, he perceived six -unkempt and fierce-looking men with heads and -shoulders appearing above the farm wall, and -the more ominous sight of a row of rifles -pointed at him. -</p> - -<p> -A couple of the Boers, for such they were, -leaped over the wall and ran towards Mr. Lovat. -The latter halted. The nature of the road -and the murderous-looking Mausers dispelled -any idea of escape, so grasping Bessie's reins -tightly with his left hand, he faced the -strangers, and said, "What do you want?" -</p> - -<p> -"Your mare," answered one of the Boers in -English. -</p> - -<p> -"I won't sell her," said Mr. Lovat decisively. -"She is not to be bought at any price. Allow -me to pass, please." -</p> - -<p> -A loud laugh burst from the Boers, the -remaining three having joined their fellows in -the roadway. -</p> - -<p> -"Commandant Christian Uys requires the -service of your horse. You will receive -payment for it when the war is over," was the -response Mr. Lovat received. -</p> - -<p> -A couple of Boers sprang to the mare's head, -evidently with the intention of unharnessing -Bessie. -</p> - -<p> -Grasping the handle of his whip, Mr. Lovat -brought the butt end down with force upon the -head of the Boer who had just spoken, and the -Dutchman stumbled and fell in the roadway. -</p> - -<p> -The next moment the ostrich farmer was -lying senseless on the ground, having been -knocked down by a blow from a clubbed -rifle. -</p> - -<p> -First came a vision of many-coloured stars, -then oblivion; and the world for the time -being was a blank to Mr. Lovat. -</p> - -<p> -When he came to his senses, he found -himself lying in the farmyard. His arms and -wrists had been securely fastened behind his -back, while his ankles were also tied. The -Cape cart was standing close to where he lay, -but the mare was gone. -</p> - -<p> -Then his thoughts turned to the bag of gold, -and though dazed and suffering from a violent -headache, a remembrance of his encounter -with the Boers flashed through his mind, and -he gave vent to a heavy groan. -</p> - -<p> -The farmyard was covered with rough veldt -grass, which made his couch a less painful one -than it would have otherwise been. A bundle -of dirty, discarded Boer clothing lay beside -him, and in the vehicle was a roughly made -hamper, which was not there when he left home. -</p> - -<p> -He thought about his wife, Mary, and Jack, -and imagined their anxiety at his non-return. -He tried to move, but was unable to do so, -while the pain in his head was almost -insufferable. -</p> - -<p> -The sun climbed higher in the heavens, and -its fierce rays beat upon his bare head. His -physical pain grew greater, but the acuteness -of his mind-suffering lessened, and at last he -again relapsed into unconsciousness. -</p> - -<p> -Then Mr. Lovat was brought to himself by -some one shaking him. -</p> - -<p> -The ostrich farmer looked up in a dazed sort -of way, and the sight of a bronzed and stalwart -Colonial trooper clad in khaki, and wearing a -couple of bandoliers, met his gaze. -</p> - -<p> -"What is the meaning of this?" asked the -trooper. "Ah! I see you are wounded. You -are a Britisher, of course?" -</p> - -<p> -In a few words, Mr. Lovat told the story of -his capture, and the Colonial drawing out a -clasp knife, cut the cords with which -Mr. Lovat's arms and ankles were bound, after -which the Irregular helped the farmer to his -feet. -</p> - -<p> -A little pool of semi-coagulated blood lay -where his head had rested, and the trooper -noticing the settler's pallid face, drew out a -small flask containing brandy, and insisted on -his taking a drink. The spirit revived -Mr. Lovat, and he made a search for the bag -containing the gold, but, alas! it too was gone. -</p> - -<p> -While he was engaged in ruefully surveying -the cart, the trooper was joined by half a dozen -comrades, who had been busy searching the -farm premises. -</p> - -<p> -"Hullo, Morton!" said one of the troopers, -addressing the Irregular who had released -Mr. Lovat. "What is the matter?" -</p> - -<p> -"This gentleman has evidently been held up -by a party of Boers belonging to Christian -Uys's commando," replied Morton. "The -rascals have looted him of a bag containing -five hundred sovereigns." -</p> - -<p> -"Great Scot! that is what I call a haul," -exclaimed a young trooper. "I didn't think -there was so much money to be found in this -blessed country. Give me New Zealand in -preference to this wilderness." -</p> - -<p> -"We're Auckland Rangers," explained -Trooper Morton to Mr. Lovat, "and are on -the track of Christian Uys, one of the best -leaders the Boers possess. He is on the look-out -for horses and stores, I think, and although -we have been dogging his commando for -some days we have not been able to come -up with them. Ah! here come our other -fellows." -</p> - -<p> -A party of horsemen in files of four came -clattering along the stony road, and presently -halted at the entrance to the farmyard. The -troopers were about thirty in number—hardy, -stalwart young Maorilanders—commanded by -Major Salkeld, a Colonial who had done -splendid service during the siege of Wepener. -</p> - -<p> -The troop had several spare horses with -them, and after Morton had explained the -situation to his officer, Mr. Lovat was offered a -mount, which he gladly accepted. -</p> - -<p> -The horses were given a feed, and the -troopers snatched a hasty meal of bully beef -and biscuit. During the repast Mr. Lovat -detailed a few facts concerning his farm and -the surrounding country to Major Salkeld, and -it was settled that the party should proceed in -the direction of the Kopje Farm. Possibly -they might come across the marauders and -be able to restore Mr. Lovat's lost property to -him. -</p> - -<p> -The harness belonging to the Cape cart had -been wantonly hacked, so that the idea of the -vehicle's removal had to be abandoned. -</p> - -<p> -Kopje Farm lay a good distance up the -valley, and before the little force had proceeded -a mile, Major Salkeld called a halt. -</p> - -<p> -Trooper Morton's quick eye had detected -a body of horsemen defiling through a donga -about a mile away on the New Zealander's -left flank. Morton, who was acting as scout, -at once returned and reported the fact to his -officer, who instantly placed his field glass to -his eyes. The major looked long and earnestly, -then handing his binocular to Morton, said, -"Just give a glance through these, and tell me -what you make of them." -</p> - -<p> -The scout applied the glasses, after which he -handed them back to the major, saying, "They -are Boers, sir, without doubt." -</p> - -<p> -"And how many do you make of them?" -inquired the officer. -</p> - -<p> -"About forty, I should say, sir," answered -the trooper. "They have a couple of led -horses with them as well." -</p> - -<p> -Major Salkeld turned to Mr. Lovat, who had -been riding by his side, and pointing to the -donga, asked, "Where does the bridle-path -leading to the donga terminate, Mr. Lovat?" -</p> - -<p> -"It runs up to a settler's farm, some seven -or eight miles from here," replied Mr. Lovat. -"The settler is a Dutchman named Van -Donnop, and it is said that his three sons are -on commando with the rebels." -</p> - -<p> -"Ah!" muttered the major, "just so; and -these fellows doubtless are making tracks for -this farm to re-equip and get a fresh supply of -ammunition and stores. I am sorry that we -cannot see you home, but duty is always duty, -and the exigencies of the service demand that -when we get on the track of the Boers we must -follow them up." -</p> - -<p> -"I am going with you, if I may," said -Mr. Lovat. "Possibly these fellows have my five -hundred pounds, and I can hardly afford to lose -that." -</p> - -<p> -"I am afraid, my dear sir, that you have -said good-bye to your gold," said the major. -"However, if you care to accompany us, you -can do so. You are looking better now -than when I saw you first. I suppose you can -shoot?" -</p> - -<p> -"There are not many settlers who can't," -answered Mr. Lovat, with a touch of dignity in -the tones of his voice. -</p> - -<p> -"I mean no offence," said the major. "Do -you feel strong enough to go with us?" -</p> - -<p> -"I'm all right now," replied the settler. "My -head is somewhat sore, and the muscles of my -neck a little stiff, but I would rather go on -with you, sir." -</p> - -<p> -"Very good, you shall," said the officer. -Turning to Morton, he continued, "We have -a spare rifle?" -</p> - -<p> -"Half a dozen, sir," answered the trooper. -"I have an extra one with me, which -Mr. Lovat can have, if he understands the -mechanism." -</p> - -<p> -"Then kindly hand it over," said the major. -</p> - -<p> -Turning again to the settler, the officer -continued, "Luckily you have not been much -troubled in these parts, but I'm afraid you -soon will be. The Boers are getting short -of ammunition, and these roving bands of -burghers are merely the advanced guard of a -bigger force of Boers. The supply of -ammunition has been stopped through Lorenzo -Marquess, and the burghers are making their -way to Port Nolloth, and other places on the -west coast, where contraband stuff in the shape -of rifles and cartridges are to be had in plenty. -I suppose the majority of the settlers about -here are loyal?" -</p> - -<p> -"I'm afraid I can't answer that question -entirely in the affirmative. I know that I am, -and all living in the Kopje Farm are loyal -subjects of the King. Many young men have -disappeared from the district, and I saw signs -of the coming storm long before it burst." -</p> - -<p> -"What! even in this remote part?" asked -the Colonial officer. -</p> - -<p> -"A couple of years before the war broke out, -Boer emissaries went about from place to place, -ostensibly as pedlars, but I am certain they -were secret agents of the Transvaal Republic," -answered Mr. Lovat. -</p> - -<p> -The major addressed a few words to his -men. They were brief and to the point:— -</p> - -<p> -"Boys," he began, "I have no doubt that -we are on the track of Christian Uys, and I -sincerely trust we shall be able to lay him -by the heels. Perhaps this is part of his -commando in front of us. Be careful with -your ammunition, for we have none to spare. -Don't waste it. I hope to be in Springbokfontein -to-morrow when the regiment arrives; -but in the evening we must harry the enemy, -who I am pleased to say have on the whole -proved honourable men. The day after -to-morrow I promise you a couple of days' rest. -Then we move on to Port Nolloth. Now, -boys, a fairly good pace, but don't blow your -horses." -</p> - -<p> -The road, however, was so difficult that -there was no prospect of the latter occurrence -happening. The troopers could only proceed -in double file, and the men were compelled to -assume an oblong formation, which would have -formed a splendid target for an enemy armed -with Mausers or light field guns. -</p> - -<p> -Morton, the most daring man in the -Auckland Rangers, was well in front when a -"Phit!" "Phit!" followed by a fusillade, caused -him to halt. -</p> - -<p> -The New Zealanders had been discovered -by the enemy, who by this time had passed out -of view. The bullets went whistling over the -heads of the Colonials, who, on the order of -Major Salkeld, retired to the shelter of a small -donga, some two hundred yards in their rear. -</p> - -<p> -Every fourth man was detailed to lead his -own and three comrades' horses to a -watercourse naturally protected by immense -boulders of quartz. -</p> - -<p> -Ten dismounted troopers were next ordered -by the major to creep forward to the position -they had just left, while the rest of the -unencumbered advanced one hundred yards and -flung themselves on the ground. -</p> - -<p> -Mr. Lovat, savage at the loss of his gold, -begged the officer to allow him to form one -of the advanced party, and the major readily -acceded to his request. -</p> - -<p> -The ostrich farmer declared that he was all -right,—the pain in his head had left him,—and -Morton having glanced approval, Major Salkeld -consented, and the eleven Imperialists crept -forward on hands and knees towards the spot -they had just vacated. -</p> - -<p> -The sun was on the point of dropping below -the western horizon, and in half an hour's time -darkness would cover the veldt, so there was no -time to be lost if the Boers were to be captured. -</p> - -<p> -The long, low buildings which constituted -Van Donnop's farmstead could be plainly seen, -but the Boers had disappeared within a donga. -Their approach to the farm, however, would be -covered by the troopers' fire, and Morton and -his fellow-Colonials waited impatiently for the -enemy to emerge from the donga. -</p> - -<p> -Presently a couple of Boers dashed across -the space intervening between the donga and -the farm. -</p> - -<p> -Two shots rang out, and thin wreaths of -bluish-tinted vapour hung round the muzzles -of the rifles wielded by Mr. Lovat and Trooper -Morton. -</p> - -<p> -"Got him!" ejaculated the latter, as one of -the Boers threw up his arms and fell from the -horse. The animal, relieved of its burden, -galloped wildly towards the farmstead. -</p> - -<p> -The second Boer, on seeing his fellow-burgher -fall, wheeled his horse quickly round -and dashed furiously for the shelter of the -donga. -</p> - -<p> -A dozen leaden messengers of death whistled -around him, but he and his steed passed -through them unharmed. -</p> - -<p> -With the exception of a solitary shot, no fire -came in reply to the troopers' fusillade, and -Morton waved to the remainder of the troop -to come up, which the latter did. -</p> - -<p> -A consultation was held between Major -Salkeld and Morton, and it was eventually -decided to await the darkness which would -descend on the veldt. Under its cover an -advance would be made on the farm. -</p> - -<p> -Just as the last streaks of yellow light were -fading into a mass of purplish gray, Morton -begged his major to allow him to creep -forward in the direction of the farm for -the purpose of reconnoitring, and the officer -assented. -</p> - -<p> -Slinging his rifle behind his back, the scout -slowly edged his way to where the stricken -Boer lay on the veldt. The Free Stater was -dead, for a couple of bullets had pierced his -brain. -</p> - -<p> -He was a rough-looking man with unkempt -hair and beard, and the daring trooper, still -prostrate, turned him over and coolly began to -search his pockets. -</p> - -<p> -Morton abstracted several documents, which -he thrust into an inner pocket of his khaki tunic, -after which he retraced his way to his comrades, -still crawling on his hands and knees. -</p> - -<p> -He handed the papers to Major Salkeld, -who determined to advance at once on Van -Donnop's farmstead. In answer to an -interrogation from his superior, Morton explained -that he had not seen any Boers except the -dead one, and that the Dutch settler's farm -betrayed no sign of life. -</p> - -<p> -Ten minutes later, the New Zealanders were -drawn up in front of the farm buildings, and -Morton, always the first to volunteer for any -hazardous duty, went straight to the front door -of the house and began hammering with the -butt of his rifle upon its stout panels. -</p> - -<p> -Footsteps could be heard in the passage, and -a voice called out in Dutch, "Who is there?" -</p> - -<p> -"Open the door instantly," commanded -Morton brusquely, "or I'll blow it in." -</p> - -<p> -The door was unfastened by a man of -immense girth of chest. His physiognomy -showed his Dutch extraction. -</p> - -<p> -"What do you want?" demanded the -farmer gruffly. This time he spoke in -English. -</p> - -<p> -Morton in reply gave a shrill whistle, and -the next moment a dozen troopers crowded -into the wide passage, Major Salkeld being -at their head. -</p> - -<p> -"Now, then, Mynheer—whatever your name -is, we want to have a look at the stores you -have concealed in this building," began the -major. "I shall also be glad to learn something -about the whereabouts of Christian Uys and -his commando." -</p> - -<p> -"I know nothing about them," answered -Van Donnop, for such he was. -</p> - -<p> -"You can tell some other person that tale," -observed Major Salkeld, with a laugh. "You -have some food in the house, I suppose?" -</p> - -<p> -Van Donnop looked at the speaker with a -surly expression on his face. -</p> - -<p> -"Oh, we shall pay for everything we -consume," continued the officer. "Look sharp, -my man;" and Van Donnop with bad grace led -the way to a large kitchen, in which half -a dozen Kaffirs, evidently farm hands, were -seated round a log fire. -</p> - -<p> -Food was supplied to the troopers, as well -as forage for their horses, after which the -premises were thoroughly searched for -concealed arms; but the hunt proved fruitless. -After paying for the supplies, the major and -his troopers rested for a couple of hours. -</p> - -<p> -Sounds of rifle-firing away to the west were -heard, and soon after midnight the New -Zealanders, accompanied by Mr. Lovat, set -out for the Kopje Farm, and all earnestly -hoped they would come across their brave -and stubborn enemy. -</p> - -<p> -And so they did; but with the exception of -a few desultory shots fired at an uncertain -range, and without any casualties on their side, -Major Salkeld and his troopers, as related in -the last chapter, arrived on the scene where -Jack Lovat and his handful of Kaffirs had so -bravely defended his father's farmstead. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap05"></a></p> - -<h3> -CHAPTER V -<br /><br /> -DIAMOND VALLEY -</h3> - -<p> -Jack Lovat was warmly congratulated by the -New Zealanders on their arrival at the Kopje -Farm, and the ostrich farmer naturally felt -proud of his son. -</p> - -<p> -The return of Bessie was described by Jack, -and Trooper Morton said he had no doubt -whatever that the animal which had bolted -when its Boer rider was shot by Trooper -Morton and Mr. Lovat was none other than -the gallant little mare. -</p> - -<p> -As soon as daylight broke, the Colonials, -headed by Mr. Lovat, Jack, and Pete, examined -the country in front of the ostrich kraal to a -distance of a thousand paces. -</p> - -<p> -Three dead Boers and two horses were -found stretched on the veldt, and Jack Lovat -had no difficulty in identifying the body of Jan -Van Donnop, one of the sons of the Dutch -settler of that name. -</p> - -<p> -Jan and his brothers, Piet and Stephanus, -had mysteriously disappeared from the neighbourhood -soon after the outbreak of hostilities, -and their father had given it out that the lads -had gone to reside at East London with a -relative in order to learn the trade of milling. -</p> - -<p> -Mr. Lovat made a more important discovery. -Attached to the saddle of a dead horse was the -cowhide bag which the previous morning had -contained his five hundred sovereigns, but -which, alas! was now empty. -</p> - -<p> -The pockets of the dead Boers revealed no -traces of the lost gold, and Morton remarked, -"I'm afraid, Mr. Lovat, you have said good-bye -to the coin. None of these men are -leaders." -</p> - -<p> -Mr. Lovat was examining the features of -one of the dead men, and without heeding -the Colonial's remark, he said, "This fellow is -the man who commandeered Bessie." -</p> - -<p> -With the aid of pickaxes and spades, a trench -was made by the New Zealanders, and the -stricken Boers and their horses were decently -interred, Jack Lovat taking charge of several -mementos belonging to Jan Van Donnop. -</p> - -<p> -Jack was possessed of a humane nature, and -being far from illiterate and possessing a -cosmopolitan turn of mind, he had not the racial -prejudices so largely predominant during the -awful struggle in South Africa which commenced -at the end of the nineteenth century. -</p> - -<p> -Morton had taken intuitively to Jack, and -after the interment he whispered in the lad's -ear, "Why don't you join us? The war is not -half over yet, and there is sure to be a lot of -fighting. Ask your father to allow you to -come with us." -</p> - -<p> -"I'm afraid he won't," answered Jack. "I -wanted to join Driscoll's Scouts, but he -refused, and I believe I have learned the -first duty of a soldier." -</p> - -<p> -"And pray, what is that?" queried the -trooper. -</p> - -<p> -"Why, obedience," replied Jack. "I owe -that duty to my father, who is most kind to -me. Besides, I hardly think it would be right -for me to leave mother and Mary just now. -Mary is my sister. You saw her when your -fellows came here." -</p> - -<p> -"Well, all I can say, youngster, is that you -are a brick and no mistake," said the trooper -enthusiastically. "What did you feel like -when the Boers came up? Timid?" -</p> - -<p> -"Hardly," remarked Jack laconically. "I -was only sorry that they didn't try to storm in -broad daylight. I mean about noon, say." -</p> - -<p> -The trooper laughed outright at Jack's bold -statement, and said, "Well, I thought we New -Zealanders were a cool set of fellows, but you -ostrich people take the cake." -</p> - -<p> -The pair were approaching the Kopje -Farm, bringing up the rear-guard, when Jack -turned and asked, "You have been a soldier -all your life, haven't you?" -</p> - -<p> -The trooper laughed as he replied, "Oh -dear no; I'm a working jeweller by trade, and -when at home am engaged by a large firm in -Auckland. When the mother country called -for men, I volunteered for service in South -Africa. Why do you ask the question, my lad?" -</p> - -<p> -"I thought you had always been a soldier, -for you look so like one," answered Jack; and -Morton felt a trifle elated, for what man or -boy exists who does not inwardly relish a small -modicum of flattery? -</p> - -<p> -"You have nothing in the shape of diamonds, -I suppose, in this part of the country?" queried -the trooper. "I have examined the clay in -several dongas as we came along, and from -what I know of mineralogy, I should say that -diamonds are to be found in this district." -</p> - -<p> -"Crystals are common enough about here," -answered Jack. "I have a collection which -I will show you when we reach the farm. -Among the pebbles are several fine garnets -and amethysts. One of our 'boys,' Pete by -name, picked up a stone, which he found -embedded in a sort of bluish clay only a -fortnight ago. It is too dull, however, for a -diamond." -</p> - -<p> -During the few minutes occupied in the -return to the farm, Morton thought deeply -about what Jack had told him. He was a -thorough patriot, but since he had been in -South Africa his mind had dwelt largely on -diamonds, for exaggerated accounts of the -mineral resources of the veldt had reached -New Zealand. -</p> - -<p> -Mr. Lovat was a thoughtful man, and since -the beginning of the war had laid up big -supplies of eatables in the shape of hams, -bacon, preserved meats, and tins of jam and -marmalade. -</p> - -<p> -It seemed as though the Kopje Farm had -been designedly prepared for a siege, for in -the big storeroom at the back of the house -were provisions calculated by Mr. Lovat to -last at least twelve months, and these were -being added to. -</p> - -<p> -The major determined to allow his men a -few hours' rest, and the horses were off-saddled -and given a good feed of corn, Jack Lovat -paying particular attention to Morton's mare, -which was a magnificent creature nearly -seventeen hands high, and noted for its swiftness -and sureness of foot. -</p> - -<p> -Jack conducted his newly-made friend round -the ostrich kraal, and explained the various -operations connected with the hatching of eggs -and the plucking of the birds' plumage, and the -trooper evinced great interest in the young -settler's narration. -</p> - -<p> -The remains of poor Zacchary, the "boy" -who was shot at the loophole, had been -reverently interred, and Jack and his friend -were standing alone beside the mound of -freshly turned earth, when the latter observed, -"Oh, by the way, Jack, I would very much -like to have a look at that stone you spoke to -me about." -</p> - -<p> -"You mean the pebble Pete gave to me?" -asked Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"Yes, I think that is the nigger's name," -replied Morton. -</p> - -<p> -To the trooper's great surprise, Jack instantly -fired up. "No, that won't do; we don't call -our 'boys' niggers. They are our 'boys,' and -faithful ones they are, too." -</p> - -<p> -The New Zealander smiled at Jack's -impetuosity, and remarked, "A very good trait in -your character. Only we have seen so many -Kaffirs since we have been in the country that -all nice distinctions are washed out, and we call -the blacks generally 'niggers,'—not a very -gentlemanly expression, I admit." -</p> - -<p> -"Our 'boys' maybe are above the general -run," said Jack, "but they are tried and trusty -ones. I shall never forget how they -volunteered to a man to defend this place, when -they might have slunk away. Their fate, too, -if captured, they well knew, for they would -have been brutally sjambokked and then shot. -The boys stood up as good as the best of -white men, and I admire them. Poor old -Zacchary! Oh, you spoke about the stone -my father's native foreman gave me; I will -bring it;" and Jack walked across to the house, -the New Zealander all the while admiring the -stalwart figure of the ostrich farmer's son. -</p> - -<p> -Jack presently returned, and handed the -stone to Morton, who carefully examined it -with the eye of an expert. -</p> - -<p> -The pebble was about the size of a large -hazel nut, with a straw-coloured tint, and -Morton twirled it between his finger and thumb -for quite a minute before speaking. -</p> - -<p class="capcenter"> -<a id="img-083"></a> -<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-083.jpg" alt=""The Colonial cut the cords."" /> -<br /> -"The Colonial cut the cords." -</p> - -<p> -"Do you know what this pebble really is?" -he asked. An unusual brightness shone in his -eyes as he spoke, and he glanced keenly at -Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"A pebble, of course," answered our hero. -"Pete said he saw several others of the same -kind where he found this one." -</p> - -<p> -"And where did Pete find the stone?" -queried the trooper. -</p> - -<p> -"In a donga about a couple of miles from -here, just over the kopje," answered Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"I'll tell you something later on," said -Morton,—"a thing that will probably astonish -you." -</p> - -<p> -Jack Lovat's eyes opened rather wider than -usual as he asked, "Is the pebble a diamond?" -</p> - -<p> -"A genuine stone, my lad, and just as good -in quality as the Kohinoor. If you can lay -your fingers on a dozen more such stones, you -can give up ostrich farming and go back to -the old country." -</p> - -<p> -"If you are staying here any length of -time, perhaps you will go with me to the -donga. Pete knows the spot to a nicety," said -Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"We'll see," remarked the trooper. "I must -look up the major and learn his plans. I -should like nothing better than to pay a visit -to this wonderful donga. You will excuse me -now;" and he strode off towards his -troopers, who were engaged in rubbing down -their horses. -</p> - -<p> -A hardier lot of warriors than the men of -C Troop Auckland Rangers, it would be difficult -to find or even imagine. Their ages ranged -from twenty to forty, every man of them -standing six feet and over. Maoriland indeed had -sent its best sons to do battle for the empire, -the centre of which is the little sea-girt isle -whose ensign is the Union Jack. -</p> - -<p> -The New Zealanders were right royally -treated by the owner of the Kopje Farm, and -Major Salkeld determined to remain until -evening, when the horses would be up-saddled -and preparations made for the march to -Springbokfontein. -</p> - -<p> -This was just what Morton desired, and at -noon, guided by Jack Lovat and Pete, the -New Zealander set out for the donga where -the Kaffir had found the crystal. -</p> - -<p> -Each of the trio carried a rifle, with a supply -of ammunition. The ascent of the kopje -was made with considerable difficulty; for path -there was none, and treacherous holes were -abundant. -</p> - -<p> -"Be careful," said Jack, turning round to the -Colonial. "A broken leg, or maybe two, won't -be very nice." -</p> - -<p> -"All right, my lad; I'm on the look-out for -possible squalls," answered the trooper. "I -wonder if we shall come across any Boers." -</p> - -<p> -"That is hardly likely," observed Jack. -"There are no roads beyond the top of the -kopje, and no farms for a dozen miles." -</p> - -<p> -The summit of the kopje was reached, when -a grand panorama spread out in front of Jack -Lovat and his two companions. Rheni Kop, -a rugged kopje with a part of its summit -shaped like the tower of a castle, loomed some -half-dozen miles away. Leading to the kopje -were two deep dongas, and it was to the one -on the right that the trio were bound. For -many years the donga had been known as -Diamond Valley. -</p> - -<p> -"Tell the 'boy' to lie down," said Morton, -as soon as they arrived at the top of the kopje; -"and you as well, Jack," he went on. "I want -to have a peep round the country with my -glasses. People don't look well sometimes on -the skyline." -</p> - -<p> -Jack and Pete at once obeyed instructions; -and Morton, taking out his glasses, for a few -moments peered through them. -</p> - -<p> -"All's correct," he said, after replacing the -glasses in their leather case. "I don't think -any doppers are about here. And now, Jack, -kindly instruct your 'boy' to show us the place -where he found the pebble." -</p> - -<p> -Jack said something to Pete in a low tone -of voice, to which the Kaffir replied, "All -right, Baas Jack. Come along;" and leading -the way, Pete with careful steps made tracks -towards the donga on the right. -</p> - -<p> -Progress was necessarily slow, for boulders -of rock, and little gullies are not conducive to -rapid locomotion. -</p> - -<p> -Onward the three tramped for a distance of -half a mile, when Pete halted at a part of the -donga where its side rose almost perpendicularly -to a height of ten or twelve feet. -</p> - -<p> -The rock was composed of gneiss, along -which bands of bluish-coloured clay ran in -horizontal layers. -</p> - -<p> -"Dis was de place where I found de glass -pebble, Baas Jack," said the Kaffir, pointing -to a ledge of rock through which a small -stream of water trickled. -</p> - -<p> -Morton by this time had pulled out a large -clasp knife and was engaged in chipping off -portions of the blue clay, which yielded readily -to the impact of the knife. -</p> - -<p> -The weapon struck something hard, and -withdrawing the knife, Morton cut away the -clay surrounding it. After all, the object -might only be a fragment of rock, but the New -Zealander's heart began to beat faster than was -its wont. -</p> - -<p> -"By heavens," he muttered, "if this turns -out to be a klip (diamond)!" -</p> - -<p> -Presently the stone was in his hand, and he -anxiously pared off the fragments of blue clay -adhering to it. -</p> - -<p> -"A crystallised stone, at any rate," he ejaculated, -placing the find in the breast pocket of -his tunic. He again proceeded to excavate -more clay, when he was arrested by a cry from -the Kaffir. "Look, Baas Jack," exclaimed Pete. -"De Boers! de Boers!" -</p> - -<p> -Morton's knife dropped out of his hand, and -hastily picking up his rifle, he queried, "Where -are they, Pete?" -</p> - -<p> -"Down dere, baas," answered the Kaffir. -"I saw de heads ob two Boers peep ober, -about five hundred yards away. I am sure -dey must——" -</p> - -<p> -Pete's answer was prematurely finished, for -the "pip-pop" of half a dozen Mausers rang -out, and the next moment Jack Lovat, with -blanched face, was lying on the ground, and a -stream of blood trickled down the left sleeve -of his jacket. Jack's rifle slipped from his -grasp, and but for the safety catch, a bullet -would probably have whizzed near Morton; -for the barrel rested on a fragment of rock, -and the New Zealander was directly in the -line of fire. -</p> - -<p> -The latter bent over Jack, who was writhing -with pain. It was only the work of a moment -for Morton to pick up his clasp knife and rip -open a seam of the garment. -</p> - -<p> -Jack, although a brave lad, winced, while -the trooper examined the wound. -</p> - -<p> -"Only a flesh hurt," said Morton; "lucky, -though!" and swiftly applying the field -dressing, he bound up the injured limb. -</p> - -<p> -Another peculiar whistle heralded the -approach of a shower of bullets fired by unseen -marksmen. -</p> - -<p> -"I guess we are in a tight hole now," -soliloquised Morton. "We'll have to get a -place of shelter somehow. Can you manage -to walk, my lad?" addressing Jack. But our -hero was already on his feet. -</p> - -<p> -"I'm all right now," answered Jack, although -he looked far from being in that desirable -state. -</p> - -<p> -"We must get down to the donga as quickly -as possible; there will be more shelter. I'll -carry you, Jack." -</p> - -<p> -"No, no!" said Jack. "I can manage to -walk. You might take my rifle, please, for my -arm seems paralysed." -</p> - -<p> -With some difficulty, Jack Lovat and his two -companions made tracks for the kopje overlooking -his father's farm, but long before the -summit over which they meant to pass on their -hands and knees was reached, Morton was -bowled over by a bullet, and but for the -friendly protection of a shoulder-strap buckle, -would undoubtedly have been killed. As it -was, the missile, after being deflected by the -buckle, lodged in the muscles of his upper right -arm, and rendered that member useless. -</p> - -<p> -Although in great pain, with blood trickling -from the unstanched wound, the New -Zealander, forming the rear-guard, turned his -face in the direction of the Kopje Farm, and -with tightened lips moved forward towards -the summit. -</p> - -<p> -They had not proceeded more than a hundred -paces when the scout stumbled and fell. -</p> - -<p> -The hardy frame of the New Zealander, -stricken as he was, could not stand the strain, -and he tumbled over in a dead faint. -</p> - -<p> -"This is a predicament, Pete," said Jack, as -he bent over the prostrate figure. "We must, -however, get to some place of shelter;" and -the brave lad looked around him. -</p> - -<p> -A natural cave opened its yawning mouth -about fifty yards away, and towards its friendly -shelter Pete and Jack managed to drag their -still unconscious ally. -</p> - -<p> -The firing had ceased, but Jack had the -conviction they were still being watched by the -enemy. -</p> - -<p> -The cave was the mouth of a depression -such as is commonly seen among the kopjes -of South Africa, and with some difficulty, for -Jack's arm was powerless, the wounded trooper -was carried inside. Morton soon regained -consciousness, but his mind was clouded, and -he talked somewhat incoherently. -</p> - -<p> -"Keep the beggars off, my lad," he said to -Jack. "This confounded wound has disabled me." -</p> - -<p> -Our hero asked for the loan of Morton's -glasses, and creeping to the mouth of the cave, -glanced along the donga. -</p> - -<p> -He thought he saw objects above the rocks -at a distance of some five hundred paces, and -came to the conclusion that what he saw were -slouch-hats worn by invading Boers. -</p> - -<p> -The slouch-hats seemed to advance. He -glanced again, but boulders of rock only met -his gaze. Soon the hats grew larger in size -and number, and a mist spread before Jack's -vision. Rheni Kop with its castellated tower -became a blurred image, even through the -clear atmosphere of the veldt. -</p> - -<p> -"Pete!" -</p> - -<p> -"Yes, Baas Jack," answered the Kaffir. -</p> - -<p> -"Come here, and tell me what you make of -these things." -</p> - -<p> -The Kaffir crept to Jack's side, but refused -the glasses which Jack had handed to him. -</p> - -<p> -"My eyes are good, baas. I can see well -widout dese," said Pete. "We are done for, -Baas Jack. More dan fifty ob de rascals are -coming. Shall I fire, baas?" -</p> - -<p> -"No, certainly not, Pete," replied Jack, -whose wound had infused in the lad's mind a -certain amount of wholesome discretion. -</p> - -<p> -"Dey have de white flag up, baas," said -Pete. "Dere be five comin' dis way. Shall -I fire?" and the eyes of the Kaffir sparkled. -Pete went on: "De foremost one is Piet -Van Donnop, de brute who once sjambokked -me for nuthing. May I fire, baas? -I can bring him down like an aasvogel -(vulture)." -</p> - -<p> -"Nothing of the sort, Pete," replied Jack. -"We are powerless. Let them come on." -</p> - -<p> -"All right, baas," said Pete. "If you say -dat, they might as well see me;" and the Kaffir -slipped outside the cave, carrying his rifle with -him. -</p> - -<p> -"Come back, you fool!" cried Jack; but he -was powerless to prevent his father's native -foreman from disobeying his command. -</p> - -<p> -Pete gazed with an air of nonchalance at the -approaching figures, who were now only three -hundred yards away. The Kaffir stood leaning -on his rifle. His brows were knitted, and -all the wild savagery of his nature was -aroused. -</p> - -<p> -The Boers halted, and presently two of their -number, one of them carrying a white handkerchief -affixed to the barrel of his rifle, advanced -towards Pete. -</p> - -<p> -The latter glanced at the breech of his rifle, -opened it, after which his eyes enlarged in -wonderment. The breech and magazine were -empty. Jack Lovat, who was peering over the -edge of the cave, cried, "Drop your rifle, Pete!" -but the command was not obeyed. -</p> - -<p> -"Dey shall see no hands ob mine go up," -muttered the Kaffir; "an' if de Boer is Piet -Van Donnop, he can look out." -</p> - -<p> -The strangers advanced, and the next -moment Jack Lovat heard the cry, "Hands -up, 'boy,' or we'll fire!" -</p> - -<p> -Pete clutched his rifle, and advancing a few -paces, delivered a stroke with the butt of his -weapon on the head of the foremost Boer, and -the latter tumbled over. -</p> - -<p> -A moment later, brave Pete, the Kaffir -"boy," fell, pierced through the brain by a bullet. -He expired almost instantly, leaving his young -master and the wounded New Zealander helpless -in the hands of the Boers. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap06"></a></p> - -<h3> -CHAPTER VI -<br /><br /> -A CAPE REBEL -</h3> - -<p> -The Dutchman whom the unfortunate Pete -had floored was Piet Van Donnop, a son of -the farmer of that name. Although stunned -by the blow administered by the Kaffir, he -soon regained consciousness. -</p> - -<p> -A number of infuriated Boers stood around -the mouth of the cave, gesticulating wildly in -the guttural Taal tongue. -</p> - -<p> -Jack and Morton could both be plainly seen. -The ostrich farmer's son had risen to his feet, -and gazing steadily at a Boer who had covered -him with his rifle, cried, "Shoot, you coward!" -</p> - -<p> -The next moment would have been Jack's -last, had not a powerful arm struck up the rifle -barrel. Piet Van Donnop saved our hero's -life. -</p> - -<p> -"Oh, it is you, Lovat," said Piet, whose -head was covered with a bloodstained bandage. -"What are you doing here, and who is your -companion? Ah! one of the rooibaatjes, I -see." -</p> - -<p> -Morton struggled to his feet and faced the -Boers. -</p> - -<p> -"I'm not a rooibaatje," said Morton, "but I -am fighting in their cause. You can do your -worst. I'm not a hands-upper, or a white-flagger -either," he continued scornfully. -</p> - -<p> -The Boers withdrew a few paces, but not -before securing the two rifles and the -bandoliers worn by Jack and Morton. -</p> - -<p> -A consultation took place among the -burghers, and Jack's quick ears detected -among other sentences the words, "Shoot the -dogs." Their fate was evidently trembling in -the balance, and Jack's thoughts wandered to -the Kopje Farm, his father, mother, and Mary. -</p> - -<p> -Then a bearded man of immense stature -stepped into the cave and approached Morton, -who with a pallid face was leaning against a -boulder of rock. -</p> - -<p> -The Boer addressed Morton in good -English. "To what regiment do you belong, -rooinek?" he demanded. -</p> - -<p> -"That is my business," answered the scout -haughtily. "I decline to answer." -</p> - -<p> -"Where are your fellows?" asked the Boer, -without displaying any sign of temper. -</p> - -<p> -"I decline to give you any information -whatever," replied Morton. -</p> - -<p> -"A sjambok may elicit what I desire to -know," said the Boer grimly. "You are -speaking now to Christian Uys. You have heard -of me, I suppose?" -</p> - -<p> -"Oh yes, I have," answered the scout. -"We have been trying for some time to -locate you." -</p> - -<p> -"Pray be careful in what you say," said Uys. -"You are not an Englishman?" -</p> - -<p> -"I am not," said Morton, "but I fight under -the British flag." -</p> - -<p> -"You belong to the New Zealand corps -called Rangers," said Uys in a peculiar tone -of voice. "You see we burghers can beat -your boasted Intelligence Department. Bah! the -British Government with their hundreds of -thousands of rooibaatjes cannot beat a few simple -farmers;" and Uys gave vent to a loud laugh. -</p> - -<p> -The Boer went on: "We want to catch a -man of your regiment. Morton is his name. -You know him, I suppose?" -</p> - -<p> -"I decline to answer any of your questions," -replied the trooper firmly. -</p> - -<p> -"Well, when you reach your corps, you -might tell this Morton, that if we catch him, -a sjambokking awaits him, followed by a dose -of lead. He has already killed five of my best -men." -</p> - -<p> -Jack Lovat was listening with bated breath -to the conversation, and he wondered at the -cool courage displayed by the New Zealander. -</p> - -<p> -Piet Van Donnop came forward in answer -to something put to him by the Boer leader. -</p> - -<p> -"How is your father, Jack?" asked Piet; -"and I must not forget your mother and -little Mary. I suppose she is quite a woman -by now." -</p> - -<p> -"They are all right," replied Jack. "I -never thought you would have joined the -rebels, Piet." -</p> - -<p> -"And why not, Jack?" asked Piet. "They -are my own flesh and blood, and I am only -fighting for my own. The commandant wishes -me to ask you how many troopers are quartered -at the Kopje Farm? I ought to have been -there now, but I am acting as despatch rider -for the commando." -</p> - -<p> -The question was put in Dutch, a language -Morton was not conversant with. -</p> - -<p> -"The commandant had better find out -for himself. You will get a warm reception -if you go to the Kopje Farm," replied Jack -testily. -</p> - -<p> -"That is just what we are going to do," said -Van Donnop. "I have my brother Jan's -death to avenge. I have heard he is dead." -</p> - -<p> -"But not on my father, Piet?" queried Jack. -"His only fault is that of being a loyalist. You -had better tell the commandant to leave the -Kopje Farm severely alone, if his men don't -want to receive a shock from which they will -not soon recover." -</p> - -<p> -Piet laughed at this, after which he said, -"All right, Jack, you have to come with us. -Your friend will remain where he is until we -come back for him." -</p> - -<p> -"No, I won't leave him," cried Jack. -Turning to Morton, he went on: "They -want me to go along with them and leave -you here, but Jack Lovat is hardly built that -way." -</p> - -<p> -The trooper stared, and there was a world of -meaning in the glance he bestowed on Jack. -The glance said quite plainly, "Go," and the -look was accentuated by a slight nod. -</p> - -<p class="capcenter"> -<a id="img-100"></a> -<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-100.jpg" alt=""Pete delivered a stroke with his weapon."" /> -<br /> -"Pete delivered a stroke with his weapon." -</p> - -<p> -"We must trouble you for those boots," said -the commandant. "No, we want nothing else. -I see the spurs are pretty well worn. It won't -be policy on your part to offer any resistance. -Hans Erasmus," calling to one of his men, -"you are badly in need of a pair of boots. -Take these," and he pointed to Morton's boots. -The Boer, an unkempt fellow, whose clothes -were almost in rags, certainly was in need of -foot-gear, for the soles had left the uppers, and -his toes protruded from beneath the untanned -leather. To Jack's surprise, Morton made no -resistance, but allowed the Boer to annex the -boots. -</p> - -<p> -The latter soon transferred them to his own -feet, and expressed his satisfaction at the -exchange by uttering a guttural "Ach!" -</p> - -<p> -"You are wounded?" said Uys, addressing -Morton. -</p> - -<p> -"I would not be here talking to you if I had -not been," replied the trooper. "It is a mere -scratch, though. You don't use expanding -bullets, or explosive ones, for that matter. It -is very good of you, I'm sure." -</p> - -<p> -"Don't be sarcastic, my good man. You -are quite sure you can make yourself -comfortable till we come back?" -</p> - -<p> -"I shall be all right," replied Morton. -"The sooner you leave me the better I shall -like it." -</p> - -<p> -Commandant Uys smiled. "You are rather -a humorous sort of fellow. May I ask you one -question?" -</p> - -<p> -"As you please," answered Morton gruffly. -</p> - -<p> -"How long will it take for you to reach the -Kopje Farm? Don't stare, my man. We -are pretty well informed as to all movements -made by the rooibaatjes. I should ask you to -unstrip your tunic, but that would be a waste -of energy, because you Colonials who act as -scouts carry no identity cards. I am afraid we -must inconvenience you for a little time. You -shall not, however, go hungry. Stephanus, a -piece of biltong for the rooinek. You will -like it, for it is good fare while serving on -the veldt." -</p> - -<p> -Saying this, Commandant Uys strode out of -the cave to where his burghers were standing -near their horses. -</p> - -<p> -A minute later, Morton, whether against his -wish or not, found his ankles firmly secured by -a piece of hide rope. His hands had been -left unbound, but without a knife it was an -impossibility to set himself free, and that -instrument had been taken from him. -</p> - -<p> -Jack Lovat was compelled to mount one of -the spare horses belonging to the sections of -the commando, and to his infinite satisfaction -found that the horses' heads were turned in the -direction of Rheni Kop, instead of the Kopje -Farm. A bullet between his ribs from the rifle -of a Britisher was too unpleasant a possibility -to contemplate, so he felt devoutly thankful -when he found himself proceeding in an -opposite direction. -</p> - -<p> -Glances full of meaning had passed between -Jack and Morton, and the latter knew that his -boy-friend would leave no stone unturned to -assist him from his unenviable position. -</p> - -<p> -After leaving the cave, the Boers rode -straight on Rheni Kop, Piet Donnop being -alongside our friend Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"What brings you here, Lovat?" asked -Piet in English, and speaking in a whisper. -"Diamond Valley seems to have an -attraction for you." -</p> - -<p> -"And for you as well, I should say," retorted -Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"Looking after gold, or what?" queried Piet. -</p> - -<p> -"I was not aware that gold is to be found in -these parts," answered Jack. "What do you -mean by roaming about the country, robbing -and molesting peaceable inhabitants? Do -you know anything about the five hundred -sovereigns my father lost only yesterday?" -</p> - -<p> -A flush spread over the Dutchman's swarthy -face as he answered, "I have had none of -Mr. Lovat's sovereigns." -</p> - -<p> -"Then you know about the way my father -has been treated?" Jack asked. -</p> - -<p> -Piet evaded the question, and merely said, -"I am sorry we came up with you to-day, -Lovat. I, at least, bear you no ill-will; but I -would strongly advise you to keep your tongue -still and ask no ugly questions. It is -unfortunate that we met you. Does your wound -pain you?" -</p> - -<p> -"Only a slight stiffness and soreness -inconveniences me—that is all," answered Jack. -"By the way, where are we bound for?" -</p> - -<p> -"Number one, ugly question," replied Piet. -"I may as well tell you that you won't see -Kopje Farm to-night, and most probably not -to-morrow." -</p> - -<p> -"And what about my friend whom you have -tied up in the cave? You will surely never -leave him to starve?" queried Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"By no means," answered Piet, with a laugh. -"He will be released in good time—that is, -when the commandant thinks fit. Christian -Uys has something up his sleeve." The last -sentence was uttered in a whisper. -</p> - -<p> -"And what is that, Van Donnop?" -</p> - -<p> -"Ugly question, number two," was the -Dutchman's response. "You know what you -Britishers say, 'The third time is -catching-time.' I am right, I suppose?" -</p> - -<p> -After that, Jack Lovat held his peace, but -did not forget to use his eyes. Life on the -veldt had taught him many lessons. Like the -Red Indians of the western prairies, Jack had -studied rocks, flowers, the sun, moon, and stars -in their various phases, and in veldt-craft was -becoming a past-master. -</p> - -<p> -For an hour the commando rode ahead, and -when halted by order of Christian Uys, had -passed round Rheni Kop, which now stood -four or five miles on their left flank. -</p> - -<p> -The Boers debouched on a grassy plain, -very limited in extent, and surrounded by little -flat-topped kopjes. -</p> - -<p> -To Jack's immense surprise, he saw forty or -fifty waggons and Cape carts on the plain. -Several hundred horses and many head of oxen -were grazing on the veldt, and at least two -hundred additional burghers were in the laager. -</p> - -<p> -These formed the major portion of the -formidable Christian Uys's commando, and -Jack Lovat as he passed into the laager -thought he had never seen such a motley -crew. -</p> - -<p> -Many of the burghers glanced at Jack -from beneath their bushy eyebrows, bestowing -ominous scowls on the young Britisher, which -he answered with a haughty stare. -</p> - -<p> -The burghers off-saddled, and after giving -their horses a feed of mealies, began to refresh -themselves with a repast of biltong, biscuits, -and jam. -</p> - -<p> -Jack was placed under a guard, one of whom -he was glad to find was Piet Van Donnop. -Under his protection our hero knew that he -would receive no ill-treatment. -</p> - -<p> -Van Donnop insisted upon Jack receiving -medical treatment from a burgher who had -walked a Berlin hospital, but whose indiscretions -had caused him to be expelled before he took -his degree. -</p> - -<p> -Dirck Hartmann, for such was the medico's -name, proved a very agreeable sort of young -fellow, and showed great kindness to Jack. He -examined the boy's wound, and found that a -bullet had passed through the fleshy inner -portion of the arm, luckily without touching an -artery. As Jack said, it was a scratch—an -ugly one it must be said; but the prompt -application of the field dressing by Morton had -minimised the loss of blood. The limb felt -stiff and sore—that was all. -</p> - -<p> -"You will see that this young fellow has -good treatment," said Hartmann to Piet Van -Donnop, as he left Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"Certainly, doctor," was Piet's reply. "He -is in safe hands with me;" for which Jack -thanked him. -</p> - -<p> -As the sun was on the point of dropping -below the horizon, the Boer sentries were -planted on the kopjes surrounding the plateau, -and Jack was ordered to crawl into a waggon, -on the floor of which were spread several layers -of empty mealie bags. -</p> - -<p> -Before he went to roost, Jack's observant -eyes had been busy. He noticed with keen -interest the picketing of the horses in the -immediate vicinity, and deep satisfaction sprang -up in his breast as he thought of a sharp bowie -knife which he carried in the leg of one of his -high boots. -</p> - -<p> -He had made a strong resolve to get away -from the laager before morning broke, and he -determined that nothing short of utter -disablement would prevent him from accomplishing -his purpose. -</p> - -<p> -The resolve was strengthened by a conversation -he overheard between two burghers, soon -after darkness fell. Jack's thoughts were -passing between the bowie knife, secreted in his -boot, and the picketed horses. Among the -latter was a beautiful roan, evidently the -property of a field-cornet or other officer. -</p> - -<p> -His mind also wandered to the Kopje Farm. -He wondered what they were doing, and if -Major Salkeld and his men had departed for -Springbokfontein. Then he thought of Morton -lying bound in the cave in Diamond Valley. -</p> - -<p> -Jack had stretched himself on the mealie -sacks when he heard his family name mentioned, -and his ears were all attention in a moment. -</p> - -<p> -"Hans," said a voice in a low whisper, "the -rooineks will have no chance at all. Johann -Klaasen has just come in, and reports that -thirty of them are leaving the Kopje Farm for -Springbokfontein in the early dawn to-morrow. -That is good news, for every man of them will -be shot down before they have proceeded two -miles on their journey. Half of the commando—one -hundred and fifty strong—have left for -Langeman's Nek, where there is abundant -shelter for our men. These New Zealanders -boast about never requiring quarter. They -will get none;" and a low chuckle followed. -</p> - -<p> -Jack Lovat's breath came thick and fast. -He knew Langeman's Nek very well, and as -the speaker hinted, he knew it formed an -admirable place of ambush. -</p> - -<p> -The minutes seemed to pass on leaden wings -to the British youth so strangely confined in -the camp of a savage enemy. Jack's mind -was made up. He would use his utmost -endeavour to escape from the laager, and if he -could not secure the roan mare, make his way -on foot to the Kopje Farm, provided no other -mount came in his way. -</p> - -<p> -At last complete silence reigned in the laager, -and Jack cautiously raised himself on his elbow -and peered over the side of the waggon. His -sense of hearing was overstrained by his -peculiar and dangerous position. He thought -he heard the flap of a rifle-strap as if it struck -the barrel of a Mauser rifle, and lay quietly -down again. -</p> - -<p> -A few minutes later, he again pulled himself -up, and without noise clambered over the side -of the waggon, then dropped on the ground. -His wounded arm caused him much pain, but -he set his teeth and bore it bravely. The night -was a black one, but his keen eyesight informed -him that the picketed horses had been removed -from the vicinity of the waggon. -</p> - -<p> -Jack fell on his hands and knees, and crawled -forward, cautiously winding his way between -the wheels of several waggons. -</p> - -<p> -At last he was clear of the laager, and the -ring of pickets only had to be passed. Still on -his hands and knees he crept, his heart beating -violently, and sharp pains darting through his -temples. If only he could get safely through, he -would trust to Providence to guide him safely -to the Kopje Farm. -</p> - -<p> -A gaunt figure, standing by a horse, attracted -his attention, and a voice called out in Dutch, -"Who goes there?" The question was followed -by an ominous clicking sound. Jack still -crawled forward, his right hand now gripping -the bowie knife. His strength was almost -exhausted, and the pain in his arm increased in -severity. -</p> - -<p> -With rare courage and determination, Jack -sprang to his feet, plunged the bowie knife into -the chest of the bewildered sentry, who -immediately fell, at the same time relaxing his -grasp of the horse's reins. It took but a -moment for Jack to mount, and digging his -spurless boots into the sides of the -commandeered property, he darted across the veldt. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap07"></a></p> - -<h3> -CHAPTER VII -<br /><br /> -A WEIRD ADVENTURE -</h3> - -<p> -For a couple of miles Jack rode hard across -the veldt—not without risk, for several rifle -shots rang out, and bullets whizzed perilously -near his ears. His escape had evidently been -discovered. -</p> - -<p> -When he pulled up his panting steed, he -had completely lost his bearings. All that he -could do was to wait for the rising of the moon, -when he trusted to his knowledge of veldtcraft -to guide him to the Kopje Farm. -</p> - -<p> -The horse which he rode was flecked with -foam, and the poor brute trembled in every limb. -</p> - -<p> -"Well, I reckon I'm in a fine pickle now," -muttered Jack, as he dismounted. Slipping his -arm into the horse's bridle, he led the animal -towards a small kopje, whose summit was -indistinctly lined against the dark sky. -</p> - -<p> -He had an idea that he had seen the kopje -before, but was not sure. He would wait a -little longer. -</p> - -<p> -The base of the kopje was fringed with a -growth of various kinds of bushes, and the -fear of tumbling into unseen depressions on -the veldt, and prospective chances of broken -limbs, made him very cautious. -</p> - -<p> -The welcome light of the moon soon spread -over the veldt, and Jack examined the saddlery -on the back of his newly acquired steed. -</p> - -<p> -To his great joy, he found a holster-case -attached to the saddle, and inside the case was -a revolver loaded in every chamber. He was -now provided with a means of defence, if -attacked by man or beast. -</p> - -<p> -Once or twice, he had heard what seemed to -be low rumblings of thunder; but the sky was -clear, and the wonderful stars glittered with a -brightness only seen in Southern latitudes. -</p> - -<p> -He tried to locate his position, but had to -dolefully confess to himself that he was lost, -and that he could not recognise any spot on -the landscape. -</p> - -<p> -The horse was still trembling in every limb, -as though some unknown terror were creeping -over it. He tried to drag the beast forward, -but it refused to budge, and a strange fear -crept through Jack's mind. -</p> - -<p> -He had had a little experience of the king -of beasts, and he came to the conclusion that -the horse had scented danger in the shape of -lions. -</p> - -<p> -His fears were soon realised, for a loud roar -burst upon his ears, and two pairs of shining -yellow eyes peered at him from beneath a big -mimosa bush. -</p> - -<p> -His heart sank as it were into his boots, and -he dragged his horse's head round. His first -thought was to mount and make all haste from -the spot, but his limbs seemed temporarily -paralysed. -</p> - -<p> -The growling increased, beginning with a -blood-curdling wail that ended in a terrific roar. -</p> - -<p> -The ground seemed to tremble beneath -Jack's feet, and he gave himself up for lost. -The opposition of armed men had no terrors -for Jack Lovat, but he could not contemplate -with equanimity the probability of being -devoured piecemeal by infuriated lions. -</p> - -<p> -He retreated slowly, still leading the horse, -but keeping his eyes fixed on the globes of fire -which seemed to advance. -</p> - -<p> -Two long tawny forms began a crouching -march towards the ostrich farmer's son, and -Jack clutched the revolver with a nervous grip, -his forefinger pressing lightly on the trigger. -If the horse should happen to break away, all -would be up. -</p> - -<p> -The tawny forms were but a few paces away, -crouching low down, as though about to make -a spring, so grasping the pommel of the saddle, -with an energy born of despair, Jack vaulted -into the seat, and set forth at a rapid gallop. -</p> - -<p> -His spirits rose as he sped onwards, and -he was congratulating himself upon his very -narrow escape, when his horse stumbled and -fell on the veldt, with a terrible crash, throwing -Jack over its head. -</p> - -<p> -Our hero thought that every bone in his -body had been broken, but he managed to -stumble to his feet. -</p> - -<p> -To his horror, he found that his horse's right -fore-leg was broken, and the poor beast unable -to stand. -</p> - -<p> -The two hideous forms were following, and -even now were only a few yards distant. -</p> - -<p> -Jack prayed fervently for deliverance, and -before he could realise what was happening, the -fierce brutes had sprung upon the horse, which -was screaming in agony. -</p> - -<p> -He could hear a terrible crunching sound as -the lions began munching their yet alive prey. -</p> - -<p> -He dared not expend a shot, and deeming -prudence to be the better part of valour, he left -the unfortunate horse to the cruel mercies of -the lions, and ran as fast as he could across the -veldt, trusting that the savage beasts would -satiate their hunger upon the horse's carcass, -and refrain from pursuing him. -</p> - -<p> -He felt sick and weary. His wound had -induced a fever, which made him somewhat -light-headed. He stopped running, and trudged -doggedly along, in what direction he knew not. -</p> - -<p> -How long he wandered he never knew, but -he halted when he came to a donga; for a fire, -burning brightly, pulled him up. -</p> - -<p> -He saw the glare of the fire when some -distance from it, and conjectured that a party -of Boers or British Irregulars on trek had -encamped for the night in the donga. -</p> - -<p> -The figures of several men, evidently asleep, -were seated round the fire, while some distance -away from the latter, a number of horses were -picketed, and grazing upon the sparse grass. -</p> - -<p> -Jack's eyesight was good, despite the rough -experience he had recently gone through, and -lying flat on his stomach, he watched the -strange spectacle. -</p> - -<p> -An uncouth-looking figure emerged from -the gloom, and going towards the sleepers, -awakened two of them. -</p> - -<p> -"Changing sentries," soliloquised Jack. -"They are not our fellows—Boers, without a -doubt." -</p> - -<p> -And Boers they were. Jack had stumbled -across a patrol of the enemy, and a fear of -again falling into their hands crept across his -mind. -</p> - -<p> -Fear soon gave way to certainty, for one of -the lately aroused Boers—a thick-set, unwieldy -man—came stalking towards the place where -Jack was lying. -</p> - -<p> -A Mauser rifle reposed in the hollow of the -Boer's left arm, and gleams of light played on -the barrel. -</p> - -<p> -The Dutchman nearly stepped upon Jack, -before he saw our hero; then bringing his rifle -to the present, the Boer cried, "Who goes -there? Speak, or I'll fire!" This was said -in deep guttural Dutch, and the next moment -Jack found himself again a prisoner. -</p> - -<p> -Our hero felt thankful that he had not fallen -into the hands of Transvaalers, who, justly or -unjustly, bore a shady reputation for cruelty. -</p> - -<p> -"Who and what are you?" demanded the -Boer. "A rooinek?" The tones of the Free -Stater were not unkind. -</p> - -<p> -"Are there any more of you?" the sentry -continued, glancing warily around. -</p> - -<p> -"I am alone," replied Jack, who when he -saw the Boer advancing towards him, threw -his revolver away. -</p> - -<p> -"Alone?" said the Boer. "And why are -you prowling about here at this time of the -night? You speak our language well. Are -you one of us, or what?" -</p> - -<p> -Jack made no reply, and the Boer commanded -him to move towards the camp-fire, -bringing up the rear. -</p> - -<p> -Here the Boer roused up a man, dressed -in somewhat superior clothing to his fellows, -and whom he addressed as Veldt-cornet. -</p> - -<p> -"A prisoner, Veldt-cornet," said the -Boer. -</p> - -<p> -The officer rubbed his eyes and said -somewhat sleepily, "A rooinek, Maartens?" -</p> - -<p> -"He is an Englishman, I think, Veldt-cornet," -answered the Boer; but no amount of -questioning could elicit from Jack his proper -name and place of residence. If this were -part of Christian Uys's commando, his identity -would soon be discovered, and then good-bye -to life itself. -</p> - -<p> -"Keep an eye on him, Maartens," said the -veldt-cornet, with a yawn; and the officer -rolling himself up in his blanket, sank back on -the veldt, and was soon wrapped in a profound -slumber. -</p> - -<p> -The fire was now burning low—a lucky -circumstance for Jack Lovat, or his wounded -condition would have been seen, and -unwelcome inquiries made. -</p> - -<p> -"Lie down and rest, youngster," said the -Boer sentry; and Jack obeyed. -</p> - -<p> -Our hero's mind was now running on horses, -but that another chance of escape would present -itself seemed impossible. -</p> - -<p> -Dawn would soon break, and he knew that -if the other portion of Christian Uys's -commando should come up, all would be over, -and a Mauser bullet would end his cares -and sufferings. -</p> - -<p> -Several of the Boers were awake and -glancing at Jack with looks of wonderment. -Their curiosity, however, had evidently been -appeased by Maartens, and seated round the -smouldering embers of the fire, they began -to converse in low whispers, and Jack -overheard such words as "drift," "kloof," and -"schantze"; and when the words "New -Zealanders" were pronounced he knew that the -patrol were on the look-out for the Auckland -Rangers. -</p> - -<p> -The cold was intense, and Jack began to -shiver violently. One of the Boers seeing this, -kindly handed our hero a blanket and told him -to make himself comfortable. -</p> - -<p> -An hour before dawn the whole party were -astir, and the grateful aroma of freshly made -coffee filled Jack's nostrils. -</p> - -<p> -Additional fires had been lighted, and over -these several Boers were busily engaged in -grilling strips of biltong. -</p> - -<p> -Jack's appetite for the moment had left him, -and he turned away from the roughly cooked -beef which was offered him. The odour was -nauseating to Jack's hypersensitive olfactory -nerves. -</p> - -<p> -He did not, however, refuse the coffee, -which imparted a welcome warmth to his chilled -frame. -</p> - -<p> -The veldt-cornet was wide enough awake -now, and after the hastily prepared meal had -been discussed, he turned to Jack, whom he -cross-examined very closely. -</p> - -<p> -"You come from this neighbourhood?" -queried the veldt-cornet. -</p> - -<p> -Jack shook his head; and the Boer officer -went on— -</p> - -<p> -"Have you been serving against us in the -field?" -</p> - -<p> -"I am not a soldier," answered Jack. "I -am a settler's son. All that we desire is peace; -we want nothing more." -</p> - -<p> -The veldt-cornet laughed as he said, "There -will soon be peace, boy, when all the rooineks -have been kicked into the sea. You are -wounded, I see. Where did you receive your -wound? In a fight?" -</p> - -<p> -"It is nothing—a mere scratch I managed -to get in an accident," replied Jack, assuming -a cheerful air. -</p> - -<p> -"Then you will join us, youngster?" queried -the Boer leader. -</p> - -<p> -"I would rather be excused," answered Jack. -"I want to get to Springbokfontein." -</p> - -<p> -"You will reach there in good time," said -the veldt-cornet. "In the interval you might -do worse than see a little service under the -vierkeleur. What say you? We can give -you a mount and a rifle. Maartens, how are -we off for horses?" -</p> - -<p> -Maartens shrugged his shoulders as he -replied, "We have a couple of led horses, -Veldt-cornet, the roan mare, and the young -horse." -</p> - -<p> -"Then let him take the roan," observed the -officer. -</p> - -<p> -"By the way, youngster," he continued, -"have you seen anything of a troop of -rooineks—New Zealanders—in the district?" -</p> - -<p> -"I understand that some are in this part of -the country," answered Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"Well, if you will go along with us, you shall -see them before long," said the veldt-cornet. -"We want to catch a fellow named Morton. -The commandant will give a thousand pounds -for the fellow, dead or alive." -</p> - -<p> -Jack laughed to himself as he thought of the -New Zealander's narrow escape, and wondered -what the latter was doing, and whether he had -made good his escape from the Diamond -Valley or not. -</p> - -<p> -"You know Springbokfontein, I suppose?" -asked the Boer officer, after a pause. -</p> - -<p> -"I have been there several times," was -Jack's reply. -</p> - -<p> -"Is the place strongly guarded?" queried -the veldt-cornet, who was a namesake and -relative of President Steyn. -</p> - -<p> -"You ask me a question that I cannot -answer," replied Jack. "There is certainly -a town guard, but whether they are any -good or not is more than I can say. However, -you had better try your luck against the -town." -</p> - -<p> -"That is just what we are going to do, after -we get hold of these New Zealanders. You -know the Bank at Springbokfontein?" queried -Steyn. -</p> - -<p> -"I know very little about banks," answered -Jack somewhat brusquely; and then he nearly -made an ass of himself by blurting out the -fact that his father had been robbed of five -hundred pounds intended for deposit in the -bank under discussion. -</p> - -<p> -"It is said that a hundred thousand -sovereigns are reposing in the Bank," said -the veldt-cornet, with a laugh, "mostly -belonging to the people who asked us to -come to their help and then showed the white -feather." -</p> - -<p> -"White flag, did you say?" asked Jack -grimly. "I thought only Boers were addicted -to that practice." -</p> - -<p> -"Have a care, youngster," said Steyn -warningly, as he tapped the butt end of -his rifle with a meaning glance in his eyes. -"It is the rooineks, not Free Staters or -Transvaalers." -</p> - -<p> -Jack felt that metaphorically speaking he -was putting his foot in it, and intimated he was -only having a joke. -</p> - -<p> -"A delicate subject to joke about, youngster," -observed Steyn. "You know the countryside?" -he added. -</p> - -<p> -"Not this immediate neighbourhood," replied Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"And what takes you so far from home?" -queried the veldt-cornet. -</p> - -<p> -"We settlers hunt sometimes," suggested Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"But not without weapons. Where is your -rifle?" demanded Steyn. -</p> - -<p> -"The country is under martial law," replied Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"The rooineks' law," sneered Steyn. -</p> - -<p> -"As you say," observed Jack diplomatically. -</p> - -<p> -"You mean that you have lost or mislaid -your rifle?" queried Steyn. -</p> - -<p> -"I had an adventure with lions," said Jack. -"I——" Our hero hesitated, and then added, -"I will join you." -</p> - -<p> -"Spoken like a man!" cried the veldt-cornet. -"Maartens, the roan mare and a Mauser for -the youngster, before he changes his mind." -</p> - -<p> -"The mare is quiet, I trust?" asked Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"You shall try her. See, it is nearing -daybreak. At sunrise you shall satisfy -yourself as to your mount." -</p> - -<p> -The sounds of clattering hoofs arrested the -officer's attention, and a Boer presently rode up. -</p> - -<p> -"The veldt-cornet?" inquired the new-comer. -</p> - -<p> -"I am here," said Steyn. "You have ridden -over from the commandant, Du Plessis?" -</p> - -<p> -"I have ridden on the spur, Veldt-cornet," -answered the Boer. "Du Boisson was stabbed -last night by a young rooinek whom we caught -yesterday, just as you marched out of camp. -The rooinek has escaped, and——" -</p> - -<p> -"He is here," said Steyn, and he looked -round for Jack; but the ostrich farmer's son -was already on the roan mare's back and -scudding like the wind down the donga. -</p> - -<p> -"The devil!" cried Steyn. "No, don't shoot; -it might bring a hornet's nest around our ears. -He has gone in an opposite direction to that -from which we expect the New Zealanders. -Maartens, you were too premature in bringing -the mare;" and Maartens had the good -sense to look abashed. -</p> - -<p> -"He is the rooinek who killed Du Boisson," -said Du Plessis. "Van Donnop knows him -well. He is the son of an ostrich farmer named -Lovat." -</p> - -<p> -"The man from whom the five hundred -sovereigns were taken?" exclaimed Steyn -excitedly. -</p> - -<p> -"The same, Veldt-cornet," replied the Boer -scout. -</p> - -<p> -"And it was at this brat's father's farm -where some of our men were repulsed only -two nights ago," said Steyn, with growing -excitement. "I wish Maartens had shot him -as he lay on the veldt." -</p> - -<p> -"I had rather he belonged to us, Veldt-cornet," -observed Maartens. "He is a slim -youth, and, if his heart had been in the right -place, would have been of great service to -the cause." -</p> - -<p> -"Yes, maybe, Maartens," growled the -officer. "Now that he has got away, he -will alarm the whole country." -</p> - -<p> -"Van Donnop says that the New Zealanders -will come this way," said Maartens, pointing to -the upper end of the donga. "The rooinek -must move on his left flank, as the country is -very broken and cut up. However, you will -see. We shall catch them in a trap, and then -march straight for Springbokfontein and Port -Nolloth. I am quite right." -</p> - -<p> -"You always had good sense, Maartens; but -if we catch this young Lovat, a bullet will be -too good for him; a piece of stout rope and a -tree—the aasvogel shall do the rest. The men -have all breakfasted?" -</p> - -<p> -"All have had coffee and biltong, Veldt-cornet," -answered Maartens, who was acting as -second in command of the patrol, which as -things went, might have been termed a -reconnaissance in force. -</p> - -<p> -Let us follow the fortunes of Jack Lovat, the -daring boy-fighter of the Kopje Farm. -</p> - -<p> -While the veldt-cornet was talking to -Burgher Du Plessis, Maartens brought up the -roan mare, and acting on the spur of the -moment, Jack, while pretending to examine -the horse's head-gear, sprang on its back, and -as narrated, sped like the wind to the other -end of the donga. -</p> - -<p> -His breath came hard and fast, and every -moment he expected being struck by a bullet. -He wondered what the sensation would be like -if a missile hit him, but luckily he was spared -the experience. -</p> - -<p> -No sooner did he reach the entrance to the -donga than something seemed to whisper to -him, "You must keep to the left, for there lie -home and safety." -</p> - -<p> -The mare was a gallant one, and full of -mettle, for with long strides she rushed gamely -forward, widening the gap between Jack and -her late owner. -</p> - -<p> -The ostrich farmer's son never drew rein -until a couple of miles distant from the Boer -laager, when he eased up, and after glancing -round, dismounted—taking care to retain a -firm grasp on the reins. -</p> - -<p> -"Thank Heaven, I am free once more," -said Jack to himself. "And now for the Kopje -Farm!" -</p> - -<p> -Several landmarks seemed familiar to him. -One of the kopjes he remembered as being -a spot much favoured by baboons, ugly grinning -apes that lived in the caves with which -the kopje abounded. -</p> - -<p> -The Kopje Farm he knew lay some few -miles to the south of the hill, so he moved -forward towards a donga which skirted the -right base of the kopje. -</p> - -<p> -His attention was arrested by a sight which -sent the blood rushing to his heart, causing a -choking sensation that almost stifled him. -</p> - -<p> -About a mile distant he discerned a troop -of mounted men advancing in his direction. -</p> - -<p> -"They are Boers!" ejaculated Jack aloud. -"I've escaped from one fire only to fall into -another." -</p> - -<p> -He was in the middle of the donga when he -first caught sight of the strangers who were -advancing over the open veldt. -</p> - -<p> -Jack watched the progress of the horsemen, -who suddenly halted. -</p> - -<p> -Evidently a fresh order had been given, for -presently they wheeled to the right and -moved on in an oblique direction. -</p> - -<p> -"They are going straight towards Langeman's -Nek," thought Jack; but his quick eyes -detected something he had not seen before. -</p> - -<p> -"They are our fellows!" cried he,—"the -Auckland Rangers. I know them by the -feathers in their slouch-hats;" and without -more ado he rode forward, and clearing the -donga, galloped forward at full speed in the -direction of the horsemen. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap08"></a></p> - -<h3> -CHAPTER VIII -<br /><br /> -THE AMBUSH -</h3> - -<p> -When Jack and his two companions did not -return to the Kopje Farm, much speculation -was indulged in as to their fate by the men -of the Auckland Rangers. It had been the -intention of Major Salkeld to saddle up in the -afternoon, but the non-appearance of Morton -altered his plans, and a couple of hours were -spent in reconnoitring by his scouts, but -without success. -</p> - -<p> -One of the Kaffirs asserted that he had -heard shots fired in the Diamond Valley about -noontide, but this statement led to no -elucidation of the mystery connected with the -disappearance of Trooper Morton and Jack. -</p> - -<p> -Mr. Lovat, too, was uneasy. He knew that -his son possessed an adventurous nature, for -Jack during his hunting expeditions had been -several times absent from home for a couple of -days at a time, but it had always been with -his father's permission. -</p> - -<p> -Accommodation for the troopers was provided -in various parts of the farm buildings, -while Major Salkeld partook of Mr. Lovat's -hospitality in the farmer's private apartments. -</p> - -<p> -Sentries were posted at various points -around the farm, and with anxious hearts the -ostrich farmer and his wife retired to rest, but -not to sleep. Mr. Lovat's fear was that the -three missing ones had fallen into the hands -of the Boers. -</p> - -<p> -Dawn at last broke on the veldt. The -night had passed without any alarms, and the -quietness and solitude seemed oppressive. -</p> - -<p> -Mr. Lovat and the major were early astir, -the former directing the "boys" in the serving -out of corn to the troopers' horses, while the -latter looked after his men. -</p> - -<p> -The little force were able to replenish their -bandoliers from the ample stores which -Mr. Lovat had in stock, so that each man now -carried two hundred rounds of cartridges. -</p> - -<p> -Soon after dawn, the troopers moved off, -after taking a hearty farewell of their host and -hostess, not forgetting Mary, with whom the -Irregulars left many little mementos in the -shape of gold coins of the realm, and which -they insisted on her accepting—although -against her father's wish. -</p> - -<p> -Their route would be by Langeman's Nek, -a defile to the west of Rheni Kop, and Major -Salkeld had promised his men some fighting -before they joined the bulk of the regiment. -</p> - -<p> -The road was very difficult, and progress -consequently was slow. Scouts were thrown -forward in front and on the flanks, but for a -few miles nothing unusual occurred. -</p> - -<p> -The advance guard was suddenly seen to -halt and dismount. -</p> - -<p> -Shortly afterwards, one of the scouts -signalled, "Halt! remain where you are. We -are falling back." -</p> - -<p> -Major Salkeld instantly halted his men, and -ordered them to see to the magazines of their -rifles. -</p> - -<p> -The four scouts in advance presently came -riding in, and the leader at once made his -report to the major. -</p> - -<p> -"Sir," began the trooper, "I fancy we shall -see some fighting before long. The country -in front is admirably suited for an ambush, and -a horseman is rapidly approaching. Look, -here he comes!" -</p> - -<p> -Round the bend of a kopje, some seven -hundred yards away, a horseman was seen -galloping at full speed towards them. -</p> - -<p> -The major at once placed his glasses to his -eyes and gazed earnestly through them, after -which he rode a little ahead. -</p> - -<p> -"He is quite a youngster," exclaimed the -major. "Why, it is the son of our worthy friend, -the ostrich farmer, up at the Kopje Farm;" -and the next moment Jack Lovat pulled up, -mounted on a beautiful mare, which was flecked -with foam. -</p> - -<p> -"Sir!" gasped Jack, for he was almost -breathless, "you are ambushed. Nearly two -hundred Boers are waiting in Langeman's Nek -for you. Go back at once, sir." -</p> - -<p> -Jack's shirt and jacket were stained with -blood, and Major Salkeld with some anxiety -asked, "But you are wounded, my boy. What -does this mean, and where do you come -from?" -</p> - -<p> -"Excuse me, sir," said Jack, "but we must -retire into the donga. The Boers will soon be -covering me with their rifles. If you had gone -much farther, all of you would have been -killed!" -</p> - -<p> -The major wheeled round, and followed by -Jack Lovat, returned leisurely to where his -men, mounted on their horses, were awaiting -him. -</p> - -<p> -"Right about!" shouted the officer; "by fours -retire to the donga;" and the troopers obeyed. -</p> - -<p> -The retirement was effected in perfect order, -without a shot being fired by the unseen enemy. -Then the troop was halted, and Jack Lovat -told his story in a few simple words. -</p> - -<p> -The major opened his eyes in amazement -as Jack narrated his adventures during the -previous day and the past night. -</p> - -<p> -"And you say that Morton is shut up in a -cave in the Diamond Valley?" asked the -officer. -</p> - -<p> -"He was there yesterday afternoon, sir," -replied Jack, "and I'm going to him as soon as -I can. The Boers bound his ankles with wet -hide. He may have been able to get out and -crawl a little way, but I'm afraid not." -</p> - -<p> -"And this commando of Boers, where is it?" -demanded the major. -</p> - -<p> -"The main body was about half a dozen -miles from here last night, and a lot of burghers -are holding Langeman's Nek, waiting for you -now. I'm awfully hungry. Can you give me -anything to eat?' -</p> - -<p> -"Certainly, my lad," cried the major cheerily; -and he took from his own haversack some -sandwiches Mrs. Lovat had made specially for -him, and handed them to Jack, who ate them -with great relish. -</p> - -<p> -For a few moments the major was undecided -what to do; but after a little deliberation, he -ordered his men to dismount. That done, he -despatched a couple of scouts to the mouth of -the donga. -</p> - -<p> -The donga in which the troopers were now -posted was about half a mile in length, and -admirably situated for defence, if held by a fairly -strong party. In the centre the ground, mostly -of a rocky nature, was much broken, affording -shelter for twice the number of men now under -Major Salkeld's command, and it was towards -this part that the officer determined to retreat. -Jack's first inquiries naturally were about the -inmates of the Kopje Farm, and he felt relieved -when the major assured him that everything -was right at the old homestead. -</p> - -<p> -"One of the Kaffirs is missing, though," said -the officer. "I forget his name. Symonds," -turning to an officer, "what is the name of -the nigger who went off soon after sunset last -night, and had not turned up this morning -when we left?" -</p> - -<p> -"Moses, I think it is, sir," answered the -trooper. -</p> - -<p> -Jack Lovat stared somewhat rudely at the -Irregular and said, "I thought as much! We -had him from Van Donnop's. The beggar -deserves shooting." -</p> - -<p> -Moses was the only shady character in -Mr. Lovat's establishment. Before the outbreak of -the war, Moses, a Kaffir of immense strength -and stature, had been a most exemplary character; -but until news of the small disaster to the -British in the armoured-train incident at -Kraipan reached the remote district of Orangefontein, -Moses on various occasions had asked -permission to visit Van Donnop's farm, -ostensibly for the purpose of seeing a negress -employed by the Dutch farmer, and—Mrs. Lovat -possessing as she did a sentimental -nature—his requests were always acceded to. -</p> - -<p> -"And so Moses has left the Kopje Farm, -sir?" queried Jack. "It looks somewhat fishy. -Upon my word, it seems as though Moses had -some hand in the disappearance of my father's -money." -</p> - -<p> -The New Zealanders reached the broken -ground and dismounted, and Major Salkeld -awaited the appearance of his scouts, who were -now hidden by a bend in the donga. -</p> - -<p> -Presently the 'pip-pop' of Mauser fire was -heard in the direction of Langeman's Nek, -and the scouts bending low in their saddles, -came at a rattling pace towards the place where -their comrades were grimly and silently -awaiting events. -</p> - -<p> -One of the scouts, Burnand by name, had -a ghastly expression on his face, and it was -evident that he had been severely wounded, -when he dismounted from his horse, as he -tottered and fell on the ground. -</p> - -<p> -"A little water, sir, if you please," he gasped, -looking at his riding-breeches, which were -drenched with blood. "I've been hit. Take -my bandolier, for I'm——" -</p> - -<p> -The trooper never finished the sentence, for -when a water-bottle was being held to his lips, -he gave a sigh, and died. He had been hit by -a bullet in the stomach. -</p> - -<p> -"Your report, Fielding, quick," said the -major, addressing the other scout. -</p> - -<p> -"The enemy are closing in on the mouth of -the donga, sir," said the trooper. "If a dozen -men are at once hurried forward, they may be -able to check them." -</p> - -<p> -"Now, men," cried the major, "I want no -volunteers; there is no time for that. Sergeant -Oliphant, pick twenty men quickly. The rest -will remain here." -</p> - -<p> -"All right, sir," replied the sergeant, a -quiet-looking man of thirty; and in a few seconds the -non-commissioned officer, much in the same -way as schoolboys pick a team of cricketers, -selected twenty New Zealanders, who, headed -by Major Salkeld and the sergeant, moved -forward at a gallop towards the mouth of the -donga overlooking Langeman's Nek. -</p> - -<p> -"No; stay where you are," said the -officer in answer to Jack Lovat's appeal. -Major Salkeld's command to our hero was -so peremptory that Jack was obliged to -obey. -</p> - -<p> -"Get your horses into shelter," were the -major's last words to a corporal. "Possibly -we may have to retire to this spot." -</p> - -<p> -At breakneck speed Major Salkeld and his -men hurried to the mouth of the donga. A -volley of bullets, which luckily emptied no -saddles, was the welcome they received. -</p> - -<p> -On each side of the donga stretched low -ranges of kopjes, diminutive in size, but offering -good shelter from fire which might be directed -from the donga. -</p> - -<p> -The major at once dismounted his men, -and four troopers led back the horses to a -distance of some two hundred paces, on the -instructions of the officer. -</p> - -<p> -The remaining troopers fell prone on the -ground, after which they crawled forward, -sheltering themselves behind big stones and -mimosa scrub. -</p> - -<p> -"We cannot afford to lose a cartridge, men," -cried the major. "Every bullet must find its -mark, or we are done for." -</p> - -<p> -"All right, sir," muttered more than one -man; "we'll see to that;" and with strained -vision they glanced along the kopjes, from -which little spurts of flame occasionally -issued—heralds of the coming storm. -</p> - -<p> -"These beggars know how to fight," muttered -the major. "No wonder our men were shot -down in such numbers at Magersfontein." -</p> - -<p> -The Boers blazed away at the tiny handful -of men belonging to the Rangers, with -scarcely any reply on the latter's part. The -Irregulars were well up in the art of fire -discipline, and did not mean to waste a -cartridge. Occasionally a slouch-hat peeped -from its hiding-place on a kopje, and the -report of a Lee-Enfield testified to the -quickness of eyesight possessed by the men from -Maoriland. -</p> - -<p> -The second casualty among the New Zealanders -happened to a trooper named Jordan, a -miner, possessed of an adventurous spirit, who, -spotting an excellent target in the shape of a -Boer whose head and shoulders were exposed, -raised himself on his elbows in order to get a -better sight, and as he fired, received a couple -of bullets in his brain. Without an exclamation, -the unfortunate New Zealander rolled over on -his side—a dead man. -</p> - -<p> -The spurts of flame from the kopjes came -nearer, until at last a terrible cross fire was -poured on the isolated position held by the few -Irregulars. -</p> - -<p> -"We can do no good here," said Major -Salkeld in a voice loud enough to be heard by -all his men; "we must fall back on the others. -What say you, Sergeant Oliphant?" -</p> - -<p> -A braver man than the sergeant never put -on putties, and he answered, "Quite right, sir; -we must get back to the other fellows;" and the -order was given by the major to retire beyond -the bend, where the horses were being held. -</p> - -<p> -Luckily the long veldt grass concealed -their movements, or the New Zealanders would -have suffered more heavily than they did. As -it was, during the short retirement, three men -were hit—one killed outright, and the others -dangerously wounded. -</p> - -<p> -"We cannot leave these men here," said -Major Salkeld; so the stricken troopers were -picked up and carried to where the odd men -were standing with the horses. The rifles -which the wounded and dead had dropped when -they fell were not forgotten. -</p> - -<p> -The Irregulars were now out of the line of -the enemy's fire, and no time was lost in -retreating to where Jack Lovat and the remainder of -the Irregulars were posted. -</p> - -<p> -One of the wounded men succumbed shortly -after reaching the place of shelter, so that the -morning's fatalities up to the present totalled -three out of a very slender force. -</p> - -<p> -The horses, none of which had been hit, -were picketed in a little ravine, and three men -told off as guard, after which Major Salkeld -saw to the defence. -</p> - -<p> -An unpleasant thought flashed through -his mind, and the brain message resolved -itself into the question, "Are we in a death-trap?" -</p> - -<p> -The sides of the donga were precipitous, -and clad here and there with geraniums and -heath of various species. Quartz rock of -almost snowy whiteness peeped out, forming -a striking contrast to the vivid red of the -geraniums and the brown mottled surface of -the heaths. -</p> - -<p> -"Oliphant," said the major, addressing his -sergeant, "do you think it politic for us to -retire straight through the donga by the way -we came, and retrace our steps to the Kopje -Farm?" -</p> - -<p> -A grim look was on the sergeant's face as -he replied, "It would be, sir, if we could -manage to do it." -</p> - -<p> -"What do you mean, Oliphant?" queried -the officer. "There will not be the slightest -difficulty in the way, only I don't quite like -the idea of falling back. It is against our -traditions, you know." -</p> - -<p> -"I thoroughly understand what you mean, -sir," answered the sergeant; "but I am very -much mistaken if even now both ends of the -donga are not closed against us. I believe we -are in a death-trap, sir." -</p> - -<p> -"It doesn't say much for our scouting," -muttered Major Salkeld; after which he added -aloud, "Get the men ready to start, Oliphant. -Poor Mason must be left for a time at least." -</p> - -<p> -Two wounded troopers were in a bad plight. -One had been shot through the lungs, but still -lived, while the other, more fortunate, was -suffering from a broken arm. -</p> - -<p> -Jack Lovat when he realised the true state -of affairs at once volunteered to remain behind -with the trooper who was lying at death's door, -but the gallant lad's offer was firmly refused by -Major Salkeld. -</p> - -<p> -The latter was in a terrible dilemma. If he -and his little force left their present place of -shelter, and a section of the Boers had crept -round to the other end of the donga, it would -mean almost certain death, or at the best -surrender, and the men riding in the ranks of -the Auckland Rangers had made a solemn vow -when they landed in the country never to be -taken alive. -</p> - -<p> -The major made up his mind. He would -remain; so he set his men to work to intrench -themselves, after which he despatched scouts -to each end of the donga. -</p> - -<p> -Jack Lovat this time would not be denied, -and along with Sergeant Oliphant made his -way to the mouth of the donga leading to the -Kopje Farm. -</p> - -<p> -Two hundred yards from the entrance they -dismounted and picketed their horses. Then -on hands and knees they began crawling -towards the mouth of the donga. -</p> - -<p> -"I hope you have the safety catch of your -rifle on," whispered Oliphant. "We must have -no accidents." -</p> - -<p> -"It is all right, Sergeant," replied Jack. -</p> - -<p> -This part of the donga was covered with -long veldt grass, nearly a foot high, and -although it somewhat impeded their -movements, it screened them fairly well from -observation. -</p> - -<p> -No signs of Boers could be seen, although -Jack and his companion carefully scrutinised -the ridges on both sides of the donga. -</p> - -<p> -At length a peculiar noise was heard. It -was something between a whistle and a cry. -The two scouts fell prone and lay still. -Presently Jack whispered, "See, Sergeant, on -your right front. The place is swarming with -Boers." -</p> - -<p> -Scarcely had he finished speaking when the -report of a volley rang through the donga. -The bullets whistled harmlessly over the heads -of the Colonial and his young friend. -Involuntarily Jack turned his head. The two -horses lately ridden by himself and his -companion were lying stretched on the -ground. -</p> - -<p> -For a few minutes both lay still, not daring -to move a limb, until a fierce fusillade broke -out at the other end of the donga. This -decided the sergeant, and he whispered, "We -must get back, boy. We are hemmed in, but -I think it best to fight it out together." -</p> - -<p> -And so thought Jack. Although only a few -hundred yards from their friends, it took the -pair nearly half an hour to regain the -intrenchment. They crawled on their hands, knees, -and stomachs, wriggling like serpents in the -long grass, and although both had several near -escapes from being hit, they did not receive a -scratch. -</p> - -<p> -Things looked very black at the intrenchment. -Three men were already lying in a -last long sleep, while more than a dozen had -been wounded. -</p> - -<p> -The little band of New Zealanders was -suffering from a heavy frontal fire, to which -at any time might be added a terrible flank -one. -</p> - -<p> -Several horses had been killed, and the -moans of the wounded men and their cries for -water were heartrending. Major Salkeld, with -a white face streaked with blood from a wound -in the head, looked as grim and determined as -ever. -</p> - -<p> -His men had not wasted a cartridge, for they -knew that the exhaustion of their bandoliers -meant death or surrender. -</p> - -<p> -One young trooper, Coke by name, who -through love of adventure and fighting had -thrown up a splendid appointment in the Bank -of Australasia, received a mortal wound in the -stomach as he slightly rose to twist round his -bandolier. -</p> - -<p> -With a blanched face, he turned to Major -Salkeld and gasped, "I'm done for, sir! Take -these;" and with great difficulty and increased -agony he wrenched off his bandolier and -handed it to the officer. -</p> - -<p> -"One drop of water, before I die!" muttered -the poor lad; but water there was none within -fifty yards, and the open must be crossed before -that could be obtained. -</p> - -<p> -"I'm going for some water," said Jack -Lovat, laying down his rifle, and heedless of -the officer's remonstrance, Jack coolly collected -half a dozen water-bottles, and leaving the -shelter of the intrenchment, ran forward in -search of the precious fluid. Thoughts of -danger possibly entered his mind, but the -desire to alleviate the sufferings of his -wounded comrades was paramount. -</p> - -<p> -The peculiar 'phit-phit' of Mauser bullets -whisked round his head, but he ran steadily -on, untouched by the nickel messengers of -death. Then the fire suddenly ceased, and -Jack filled the water-bottles and returned to -the intrenchment. -</p> - -<p> -"My lad," cried Major Salkeld, "you -deserve a hundred Victoria Crosses. I will -see, if we get safely out of this, that you shall -not go unrewarded." -</p> - -<p> -A white flag fluttered in the breeze not -three hundred yards away, and a couple of -Boers holding the signal of truce, advanced. -</p> - -<p> -"Shall I go and meet them, sir?" asked -Oliphant. -</p> - -<p> -"Yes, do," replied Major Salkeld; "see -what they want. But no surrender. That -is our motto. They must not see our weakness." -</p> - -<p> -The sergeant stepped forward and met the -Boers half-way. He had heard plenty of tales -concerning white-flag treachery, but he knew -that if anything happened to him, his fall -would be speedily avenged, for a dozen deadly -levelled rifles in the intrenchment would speak -with fatal effect. -</p> - -<p> -"We demand your surrender," said one of -the Boers to Oliphant, a heavily-bearded man, -with a by no means unpleasant cast of -countenance. "There has been enough bloodshed, -and you have proved yourselves brave -men. You have no chance, and will surely all -be shot down. Veldt-cornet Steyn wishes me -to express his admiration of your fighting -qualities. Are you the officer in charge of -this detachment?" -</p> - -<p> -"I am only a subordinate," answered -Oliphant. "I cannot make or even discuss -terms." -</p> - -<p> -"Then return to your commanding officer, -and tell him that if his force does not surrender -within ten minutes, firing will be resumed, -and then God help you." -</p> - -<p> -Oliphant bowed, and returned to the -intrenchment. -</p> - -<p> -Major Salkeld on hearing the sergeant's -narration of the brief interview with the Boers, -exclaimed, "We do not surrender. Not an -Aucklander yet has been captured by the -enemy. We will fight to a finish." -</p> - -<p> -A few minutes later, the Boers again opened -fire upon the brave New Zealanders, now sadly -diminished in number. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap09"></a></p> - -<h3> -CHAPTER IX -<br /><br /> -THE RESCUE -</h3> - -<p> -We must now return to Trooper Morton, -whom we left bound in a cave in Diamond -Valley. His wound was a painful one, and -having lost a quantity of blood, he naturally -felt somewhat weak. -</p> - -<p> -The Boers had taken good care to secure -his ankles. The hide with which they were -bound was tied and knotted while wet, and, -quickly drying, caused great pain by its -contraction. -</p> - -<p> -He raised himself into a sitting posture and -began fumbling with the hide rope. He might -as well have tried to snap bands of wrought -iron. He was hungry as well, so he turned to -the strip of biltong which the Boers had -thrown to him when they departed. -</p> - -<p> -"I suppose they take me for a cannibal," -he muttered, looking at the dried ox-flesh. -"However, I'll see what it is made of. I -daresay I shall need all the strength I can -muster before I reach my troop—if ever I do. -I really don't want to make another acquaintance, -while alone, with these beggars." -</p> - -<p> -The biltong proved palatable, and Morton, -possessing a healthy digestion and not being -fastidious, made a satisfying meal of the -unaccustomed food. -</p> - -<p> -His next action was to crawl out of the -cave, and with some difficulty he made his -way to a little rivulet that ran along the base -of one of the sides of the donga. In the bed -of the stream were pebbles of various sizes, and -after assuaging his thirst, he began to search -for a sharp-edged stone. -</p> - -<p> -For some minutes he was unsuccessful, but -at last perseverance brought its reward, and he -discovered a triangular-shaped piece of quartz. -With this he began sawing at the rope, but he -found the hide tougher than he had bargained -for. -</p> - -<p> -He hacked at his fetters until darkness set -in, and by that time had only succeeded in -severing a single strand. Two more must -be cut before he could regain his freedom. -</p> - -<p> -He resolved to snatch a few hours' sleep, so -he crawled to a depression, a couple of hundred -yards distant from the cave, and lay down. -The night was bitterly cold, and the Southern -Cross gleamed brightly above him. At last -he fell asleep, and when he awoke streaks of -yellow light were shooting upwards into the -sky from the eastern horizon. -</p> - -<p> -He again set to work on the hide rope, and -before the sun had reached the point midway -between the zenith and horizon was a free man. -His ankles were sore and swollen, and taking -off his stockings, he bathed his feet in the clear -water of the stream, after which he felt better. -</p> - -<p> -Then his mind turned to the pebble hidden -within the recesses of his breast pocket. He -took it out and examined it with interest and -more than ordinary care. -</p> - -<p> -"A few more like this," he muttered, "and -I shall be able to open the finest shop in -Auckland." -</p> - -<p> -His knowledge of precious stones, and more -especially diamonds, told him that he had -secured a magnificent specimen of crystallised -carbon. He retraced his steps to the place -where he had found the diamond, passing on -his way the dead body of poor Pete, and -although his only implement was the three-edged -piece of quartz, he was fortunate enough -to find four additional stones, not so large as -his first discovery, but still of great value. -</p> - -<p> -Sounds of distant rifle-firing fell upon his -ears, desultory at first, then in volleys. Like -Jack Lovat, Morton had a pair of keen eyes -and ears, and was well able to find his way -about, so he soon located the scene of -fighting. -</p> - -<p> -He knew that the firing proceeded from an -opposite direction to that of the Kopje Farm, -and came to the conclusion that warfare was -going on in that particular quarter. He would -make the best of his way to Mr. Lovat's -farmstead, where, if his comrades had departed, -he could obtain a mount, and possibly a pair of -boots. After that, he would try to rejoin his -troop. -</p> - -<p> -Quick locomotion was out of the question, -for his feet were already blistered and bleeding, -from contact with camel-thorns and pieces of -jagged rock. -</p> - -<p> -He was making for the summit of the kopje -overlooking the farm, when a couple of Kaffirs -suddenly appeared, and came running towards -him. The natives halted, but Morton beckoned -to them, and after some display of hesitancy, -they came up. -</p> - -<p> -The trooper was instantly recognised by the -Kaffirs. They proved to be two of Mr. Lovat's -"boys," Simon and Daniel. -</p> - -<p> -Simon, who was a little fellow of singularly -grotesque appearance, called out, "Baas, don't -go to de Kopje Farm. It is in de hands ob -bad Boers. Dey hab killed all de oder 'boys' -'cept Dan'l an' myself." -</p> - -<p> -"What!" exclaimed Morton, "have our men -left the farm?" -</p> - -<p> -"Dey went dis mornin', baas," answered -Simon. "Dere be hundreds ob de Boers. -Dan'l ah' me got away through de bush, or we -would hab been murdered as well. If only -Baas Jack had been at home, dis would not -hab happened; but de old baas no show fight, -and de Boers are now up at de Kopje, eatin' -an' drinkin' eberyding in the place." -</p> - -<p> -"Hold hard, my dear fellow! Not quite so -fast," said Morton; "you talk too quickly. I -want you to tell me what has happened." -</p> - -<p> -"Well, baas," replied the Kaffir, "Moses an' -Pete and Baas Jack hab been missin' sin' -yesterday, an' the missis and little missis hab -been crying all de night an' day too. I know -your face, baas. I saw you yesterday before -Baas Jack an' Pete went away, an' den Moses -sneaked away; an' oh, baas, dings are in a bad -way at de Kopje Farm. De Boers hab taken -Bessie, an' Juno, an' Jess, an'——" -</p> - -<p> -"Look here, Simon Peter, or whatever your -name is, you are spinning too long a yarn for -me. Just answer me one or two questions. -First, when did the Boers arrive at Mr. Lovat's?" -</p> - -<p> -With the peculiarity habitual to Kaffirs, -Simon began counting his fingers in a rapid -manner, after which he replied, "Dey came -two hours after de captain an' his men saddled -up an' went away." -</p> - -<p> -"How many Boers are at the Kopje -Farm?" queried Morton. "Try and tell me -exactly." -</p> - -<p> -Again the native's fingers began the counting -process. -</p> - -<p> -"Well?" demanded Morton. -</p> - -<p> -"I should say one hundred an' half dat -number, all men wid some led horses. Dey -killed all de 'boys' 'cept Pete, Moses, Dan'l, -an' myself. It was horrible; but de baas would -not fight, an' we got away. But where are -your boots, baas? Your feet dey are bleedin', -too, an' you look bad. Wounded?" -</p> - -<p> -"Yes, a trifle, 'boy'—not much," replied -Morton. "Have you any arms with you—knives -or anything of that kind?" -</p> - -<p> -Daniel, who was a forbidding-looking -Kaffir considerably over six feet in height, -pulled out a revolver from his trousers' pocket, -and handing it to the New Zealander, said, -"Dis belongs to Baas Jack, but I spec he is -dead." -</p> - -<p> -Morton took the weapon in his hand and -examined it carefully. The pistol was branded -with the mark of the British Small Arms -Company, and was new and of heavy calibre. -</p> - -<p> -"Any cartridges?" queried Morton. -</p> - -<p> -"Plenty ob dem, baas," answered Daniel, -producing a box which the trooper found -contained fifty rounds. The Kaffir took the -cartridges from a shooting coat that had -evidently belonged to Mr. Lovat. -</p> - -<p> -"You keep dat, baas," said Daniel, "if you -will let us go wid you. We dare not go back -to de Kopje Farm. I will now make you a -pair ob boots dat will be all right." -</p> - -<p> -Before Morton could say a word, the Kaffir -plucked a number of large leaves from a shrub -of the plantain species, and within a very short -time, with the aid of a little string, had -manufactured a pair of presentable sandals—if -somewhat unshapely, at least comfortable. -</p> - -<p> -"Now, baas," said Daniel, after he had -fitted on the foot-gear, "do de boots suit? -Dey will not last long, but better dan nothin'." -</p> - -<p> -The New Zealander burst into a loud laugh, -despite the seriousness of his position, and -assured the Kaffir that he was delighted with -the boots. -</p> - -<p> -"Will you 'boys' go with me to the Kopje -Farm?" asked he, as he rose to his feet. -</p> - -<p> -The eyes of both Kaffirs rolled in their -sockets, showing an unusual proportion of -white, and Simon, the loquacious one, said -with a splutter, "No, baas, a thousand times, -no. Dan'l an' me likes a good fight, but a -sjambokking first, and shootin' de next minute, -don't suit dese two boys at all." -</p> - -<p> -The strangely assorted trio, after Morton -had rested a few minutes, set off in the -direction of Orangefontein; Daniel, who knew -the country well, leading the way, while the -trooper and Simon followed in the rear. -</p> - -<p> -Again Morton tackled his Kaffir companion -about the commando of Boers who had so -unexpectedly arrived at the Kopje Farm soon -after the departure of the New Zealanders. -</p> - -<p> -"Do you mean to say there was not the -slightest attempt to show fight when the Boers -arrived, Moses?" -</p> - -<p> -"Dat is not my name, baas," replied the -Kaffir, with some heat. "My name Simon. -Moses no good at all—always up at Van -Donnop's over de veldt; worse dan a Boer." -</p> - -<p> -"Never mind what your name is, my good -fellow," observed the trooper. "The Boers could -not come from the Kopje?" -</p> - -<p> -"No, baas; no road dat way. Dere be three -paths up to de farm—one straight from de valley, -an' de oders on what you call de right an' left -flanks. De Boers came up on de left flank, -while your boys went away by de right. We -first saw de Boers when dey were a long way off." -</p> - -<p> -"But you said that the 'boys' with the -exception of yourselves had been killed. What -makes you think that, Simon?" -</p> - -<p> -"I dink nothin' at all about it, baas; I am -sure." Here the Kaffir's eyes dilated widely. -"From our hiding-place in de bush, Dan'l an' -me saw one ob de 'boys' run into de ostrich -kraal. A Boer ran after him an' shot him -down. Den several oder shots were fired, and -we knows what dat means. Den we see de -missis and de little missie wiping dere eyes wid -aprons. Dis is a bad mornin' for us, baas." -</p> - -<p> -"All right, 'boys,'" said Morton; "you go -along with me. Have you any knives?" -</p> - -<p> -Daniel produced an ugly-looking bowie knife -from a sheath which he had concealed inside -his somewhat scanty shirt, and held it up for -the white man's inspection. -</p> - -<p> -"That will do," said the New Zealander. -"And now heigho! for Orangefontein and my -comrades of the Auckland Rangers!" -</p> - -<p> -"Baas, can you tell me where young Baas -Jack is?" asked Daniel. -</p> - -<p> -"He is a prisoner in the hands of the Boers, -my lad," answered Morton; "but I trust that -before long we shall come across him. I think -I——" -</p> - -<p> -The New Zealander halted, for the sound of -heavy rifle-fire could again be heard proceeding -from some place a few miles distant in the -right front. -</p> - -<p> -"Fighting is going on," muttered Morton. -"Hang my ill-luck! I am always out of the -show,"—a statement which was by no means -a correct one, seeing that Major Salkeld's -favourite scout had been in more skirmishes -probably than any other Irregular in the army. -</p> - -<p> -Morton directed the two Kaffirs to look in -the direction whence the reports came; but the -keen vision of Simon and Daniel could detect -no flashes of flame, and in these days of -smokeless powder no haze hangs over scenes -of fight. -</p> - -<p> -The country was wild in the extreme—granite-peaked -kopjes interlaced with innumerable -little dongas met the vision, gaze -where you would. The kopjes, whose sides -and bases were clad with geraniums and heath -of various kinds, formed a glorious mosaic -against the steel-tinted blue of the African sky. -Everything in Nature was sublime, and stood -out in relief against the awful passions of men, -who were striving might and main to imbrue -their hands in their fellow-creatures' blood. -War has its romance, its temporary glitter, but -also its awful, black shadows in the shape of -untold physical and mental suffering, endured -by those who are compelled to serve under its -sombre flag. -</p> - -<p> -The firing continued, and Trooper Morton, -irresistibly impelled by the sheer love of fighting -innate within him, veered out of the track -which Simon vehemently declared led to -Orangefontein. -</p> - -<p> -The New Zealander's temporary foot-gear -had given way, and the two Kaffirs, while the -Irregular rested, went in search of fresh leaves, -taken from a bush of the plantain species, in -order to patch up the old or manufacture a new -pair of shoes. -</p> - -<p> -The Kaffirs as a race are endowed with an -extraordinary range and quickness of vision, -and before Simon and Daniel had completed -their self-imposed task, the latter's keen eye -noted something on the horizon away to the -right, which for the moment disturbed his -peace of mind. -</p> - -<p> -"Aasvogel, baas; dead people somewhere -near!" said the unsophisticated Kaffir, as he -advanced towards Morton, who was examining -his still swollen ankles. -</p> - -<p> -The vulture of South Africa, like the steed -mentioned in Holy Writ, can smell the battle -from afar, and little did Morton imagine that -the hideous birds of prey were even now -hovering above the bodies of his late comrades, -proved friends in many a fight. -</p> - -<p> -Farther away to the right still edged Morton. -His adventurous spirit was yearning to be in -the middle of the fray, but his Kaffir -companions were not imbued with the same -enthusiasm. -</p> - -<p> -Presently the trio struck the Orangefontein -road leading from Land Drift, and Morton -called a halt. The biltong had given out, and -the Kaffirs were empty-handed. Daniel, -however, was equal to the emergency. His keen -eyes detected some white flowers growing on -the veldt, and his bowie knife was out in an -instant. -</p> - -<p> -"Somethin' good to eat, baas," he said, as -he knelt down and began digging the ground -round the flower roots. Presently he unearthed -what appeared to be ground nuts. These he -handed to Morton, saying, "You try dese, -baas; dey are not bad eatin', an' you neber get -tired after you hab made a meal ob dem." -</p> - -<p> -The trooper responded to Daniel's invitation, -and although the roots possessed a stronger -pungent odour than he liked, he assuaged his -hunger with them, and felt decidedly better -after his meal. -</p> - -<p> -Simon and Daniel squatted themselves down -a few paces distant, for a Kaffir never partakes -of food with a white man, and Morton threw -himself on the veldt, on which at this part -heath grew very plentifully, and stretched -himself out. -</p> - -<p> -Like the long continued rolling of thunder, -rifle-firing had been heard by the three -refugees, but all at once there was a fierce -crackle, followed by a few intermittent -shots—then silence. -</p> - -<p> -"Baas!" cried Simon, running towards -Morton, "some horsemen are comin' dis way. -Dey be five." The Kaffir held up his hand, -and continued, "Dey belong to you, baas. -Kaffirs can see a long way." -</p> - -<p> -Morton's heart seemed to leap into his mouth -as he listened to Simon. The news seemed too -good to be true. -</p> - -<p> -"I can see nothing, Simon," said the trooper, -shading his eyes and looking down the valley, -in the direction pointed out by the Kaffir. -</p> - -<p> -"Dere, baas, dere!" exclaimed Simon excitedly. -"Dey be comin' straight for us;" and at -last the New Zealander was able to distinguish -five moving figures, advancing at a rapid trot -towards them. -</p> - -<p> -Morton was not exactly a religious man, but -he felt devoutly thankful when five minutes -later he found himself shaking hands with men -belonging to his regiment whom he had not -seen for a week. -</p> - -<p> -They were scouts belonging to the B Troop -of the Rangers. Rumours of a disaster to -Major Salkeld's troop had reached headquarters, -and instead of proceeding to Springbokfontein, -Colonel Malcolmson, the commandant of the -Rangers, with two Maxim guns and four -hundred men, was even now in search of the -missing troop. -</p> - -<p> -Luckily the scouts had with them two led -horses, so that Morton was enabled to obtain a -mount. Simon and Daniel declined the offer -made to them by Morton and backed up by -the scouts. They would take their chance on -the veldt. Morton knew that the blacks could -fight well when in laager, but they had very -little stomach for warfare when waged in the -open field. -</p> - -<p> -Before parting with the Kaffirs, the horsemen -gave the two "boys" a supply of biscuit, -after which they left them. -</p> - -<p> -The six New Zealanders proceeded towards -the spot where the firing had been heard. -Everything was now quiet, and as they -proceeded Morton detailed in a few words his -experiences since Major Salkeld had left the -main body. -</p> - -<p> -"We are encamped in a valley about two -miles from here," said the sergeant of the -scouts, in answer to an interrogation by -Morton. "Everything is in light order, and -we got word an hour ago that Major Salkeld -is in a tight corner, so we have been sent -round here to find out what we can, and report -at once. I never in all my life saw such -country for manoeuvring in. A fight may be -taking place not half a mile away, and you can -see nothing. After what you have told us, I'm -afraid the major has not only lost the number -of his mess, but also that of his troop. -Hullo! here comes a fellow. What does it mean?" -</p> - -<p> -A few seconds later, a New Zealander, whose -horse was foam-flecked and panting with -exertion, rode up. -</p> - -<p> -"Retire at once!" cried the new-comer. -"Ah, Morton! is it really you? Glad to see -you, I'm sure." -</p> - -<p> -The speaker was a young lieutenant -temporarily attached to the New Zealanders -from the South African Light Horse. -</p> - -<p> -"We have located the enemy, Sergeant," -said the officer. "Now, right about!" and -omitting the red tape, "trot! canter!" the seven -Britishers rode hard for the Colonials' camp. -</p> - -<p> -Morton, handicapped though he was with his -plantain-leaf slipper—for by this time he had -only one left—was not the last man to reach the -camp of the New Zealanders. -</p> - -<p> -The baggage and Maxims were left behind -under a strong guard, and Morton, who had no -difficulty in securing a pair of boots many sizes -too large for him, which of course was a -necessity, and a Lee-Enfield with its -accompanying complement in a fully loaded -bandolier, found himself once more on the -warpath. -</p> - -<p> -The scouts, who undiscovered, had located -the Boers, led the way, and the force, nearly -three hundred strong, approached the valley -where Major Salkeld and his little band of -heroes for hours had fought against an -infuriated and stubborn foe. -</p> - -<p> -An ominous silence reigned, but ahead on -the several kopjes, isolated bodies of horsemen, -few in number, could be seen retreating -westward. -</p> - -<p> -"Is this to be a repetition of the Gordon -case?" asked Colonel Malcolmson of Captain -Bryan, a young Irish soldier of fortune, who -had served in Ladysmith during the early stages -of the war. "Are we always to be too late? I -pray that we may not be so now. Major Salkeld -and his men are worth a king's ransom." -</p> - -<p> -"I hope the present tense will hold good, -sir," said the Irishman grimly. "The enemy -have evacuated their positions, which looks bad." -</p> - -<p> -Things did look dark, for when the colonel -and his men arrived at the mouth of the donga -where Major Salkeld had been trapped, -thousands of empty cartridge-cases were found -strewing the ground. The cases took the -form of five-chambered Mauser clips. -</p> - -<p> -In the middle of the donga, the relieving -force found the remnant of Major Salkeld's -troop, and tears came into the eyes of the -bronzed warriors as they gazed upon the -inanimate forms of the gallant lads from -Maoriland, stretched behind the little breastworks -formed by nature. -</p> - -<p> -Some of the men still clutched their rifles, -fingers on triggers, with foreheads wrinkled -and savage-set lips. These lay on their -stomachs, and had been hit while in the act -of taking aim. -</p> - -<p> -Others had rolled over in their last dying -agony, and in their hands were clutched pieces -of veldt grass and gravel. -</p> - -<p> -Were there any survivors? Yes! A -boyish form struggled to its feet and saluted -the colonel, as he stood gazing in awe and -wonderment at the little field of carnage. The -form belonged to Jack Lovat, who merely said, -"I'm pleased you have come, sir. We have -done the best we could." -</p> - -<p> -With the exception of the solitary wound he -had received on the previous day, Jack Lovat -amidst the continuous whistling storms of -bullets, had not received a scratch. Major -Salkeld was not killed, but had received a -severe wound in the leg which floored him. -Sergeant Oliphant had succumbed to a bullet -through the brain not long after the -commencement of the fight. -</p> - -<p> -Nineteen troopers had been slain outright, -four wounded mortally, while six more had -been incapacitated. Jack Lovat was the only -fighting survivor of the so-called little affair at -Langeman's Drift. -</p> - -<p> -The wounds of the living were at once -attended to, and the dead reverently buried, -Colonel Malcolmson officiating as chaplain and -chief mourner. -</p> - -<p> -In a consultation with Major Salkeld, the -colonel said, "And you think, Major, that this -commando will concentrate at the Kopje Farm?" -</p> - -<p> -"I have no doubt about it, sir. I believe -that even now the farm may be occupied by -rebels," answered the major. "You have a -splendid guide in young Lovut, the son of the -owner. He is a young hero, and deserves a -thousand Victoria Crosses. Take him with -you, sir, and attack at once." -</p> - -<p> -"Your advice is good, Major," said Colonel -Malcolmson. "I am so sorry you can't come -with us." -</p> - -<p> -That was a physical impossibility, and no -one felt more chagrined than the gallant Major -Salkeld. -</p> - -<p> -In our next chapter we shall describe the -attack on Kopje Farm, and its results. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap10"></a></p> - -<h3> -CHAPTER X -<br /><br /> -THE FARM RECAPTURED -</h3> - -<p> -When the Boers advanced on the Kopje -Farm, Mr. Lovat deemed the policy of -non-resistance to be the wisest course to pursue. -Against the overwhelming numbers of the -Boers there would not have been the slightest -chance of a successful defence, although Pat -O'Neill counselled holding the place at all -costs. Perhaps it was as well that Jack Lovat -was an absentee, as he certainly would have -backed up Pat's suggestion. -</p> - -<p> -But Mr. Lovat, weakened in mind and body -by his wound, yielded to his wife's entreaties -to allow the Boers to take what they pleased, -hoping that by so doing he would get rid of -them the sooner. -</p> - -<p> -The section of Christian Uys's commando, -now split into several parts, which had -unceremoniously thrust itself upon the master of -the Kopje Farm, was under the command of -a veldt-farmer named Maestral, whose hatred -against the British was of a very pronounced -type. -</p> - -<p> -He had entered the precincts of the Kopje -Farm without encountering the slightest -resistance. -</p> - -<p> -Simon and Daniel, as related before, had -fortunately escaped. -</p> - -<p> -Mr. Lovat's stores were ransacked, and -articles of food and clothing wantonly -destroyed. The ostrich farmer had a plentiful -supply of spirits, mostly in the shape of -Scotch whisky, and the marauders helped -themselves with willing hands, and before long, -discipline became hopelessly lost. -</p> - -<p> -Maestral, the field-cornet, although possessing -a cruel and vindictive temperament, was an -abstemious man, and argued, but in vain, with -his intemperate burghers. -</p> - -<p> -"We shall have to pay dearly for this," he -said, addressing a rough-looking burgher -named Wessels, who was one of the -ringleaders in the acts of destruction. -</p> - -<p> -"Very likely," said Wesseis, with a brutal -leer. "We have had a rough time of it lately, so -I for one mean to enjoy myself, whenever the -opportunity offers. The chance may not occur -again." -</p> - -<p> -Pat O'Neill could not conceal his anger and -chagrin as he witnessed the looting that went -on, but a hint from a gray-whiskered Boer, that -flesh and bone are not proof against bullets, -induced the Irishman to keep a still tongue in -his head. So all that Pat could do was to set -his teeth and bear it. -</p> - -<p> -Several of the younger members of the -commando had turned the ostriches loose, but -Field-cornet Maestral's threat of using his -sjambok had a salutary effect, and the birds -were re-penned after several exciting chases. -</p> - -<p> -The rifles and ammunition found in the -storehouse were confiscated by the Boers, and -the latter were on the point of resuming their -wild orgies when a couple of burghers dashed -up on horseback and inquired for the -field-cornet. The bloodstains on their horses' -flanks showed that they had ridden hard. -</p> - -<p> -"Well?" demanded Maestral. "You bring -good news, Emil Behrens?" -</p> - -<p> -The Boer thus spoken to dismounted from -his panting steed, and exclaimed, "We have -finished off a lot of the rooineks, but"—this was -added in a whisper—"a big force of them is -advancing on this place. The commandant -has ordered the other section of the commando -to scatter, and afterwards concentrate near -Doom Spruit. Commandant Uys has told us -to acquaint you with the news, and also to ask -you not to hold the farm, as the Rangers will -attempt to retake it, even if it costs them many -men." -</p> - -<p> -Field-cornet Maestral was a man endowed -with a large bump of cautiousness, and after -listening to the scout's statement, he with -some difficulty assembled his section of the -commando and addressed a few words to them. -His quick eye noticed that the potent spirit -imbibed by nearly all his burghers had taken -effect and that their gait was unsteady. -</p> - -<p> -The Boer officer told the burghers the news -he had just received from the scout Emil -Behrens, who stood by his side, and informed -them that it was his intention to evacuate the -farm. Loud cries of dissent arose, and as -Maestral did not possess the personality of a -De Wet, he naturally felt, and was, powerless -in the hands of his burghers. -</p> - -<p> -Meanwhile a strange action was being -performed by Pat O'Neill. The Dutch settler -who built the Kopje Farm had during its -erection constructed several large cellars, the -ramifications of which extended under many of -the rooms as well as the ostrich kraal. -</p> - -<p> -The element of fear had no place in Pat's -mental constitution, and while the field-cornet -was addressing his men, the Irishman -disappeared. Through a secret trap-door in a -corner of the storeroom floor, he descended -into the enormous cellar. From his pocket he -took out a small lantern in which was a piece -of tallow candle. He carefully lighted the -candle, and placed the lantern within a niche -in the wall. -</p> - -<p> -Three large barrels stood in a corner of the -cellar, and the barrel lids were removed by -Pat without any difficulty, for the simple -reason that the worthy Irishman had seen -to a little necessary "prising" process soon -after Major Salkeld's men had left in the -morning. -</p> - -<p> -With a large scoop, Pat began to bale out a -black substance on the floor. The substance -was gunpowder! Quite coolly the Rorke's -Drift man laid a train leading from the barrels -to the foot of the ladder, and with grim -satisfaction viewed his work in the dim light. -</p> - -<p> -"Bedad!" he muttered, "this will give the -spalpeens a shock worse than King James av -ancient memory might av got." Then taking -out a long piece of gutta-percha fuse, he inserted -one end in the train of powder, and ascended -the ladder steps carrying the other end of the -fuse with him. This end he fixed between -the interstice formed by the floor and the -trap-door. -</p> - -<p> -Pat was just in time to see a little of the fun -going on between the field-cornet and his -burghers, and chuckled gleefully to himself. -</p> - -<p> -Several gray-haired doppers were backing -up their leader's proposal that the farm should -be evacuated, but the fumes of the whisky were -seething in the noddles of the majority of the -Boers, and their only longing was to get more -of the potent spirit, regardless of consequences. -</p> - -<p> -If Commandant Uys had been present, -things might have happened differently; but -discipline had altogether fled, and the only -answer to the field-cornet's command was the -demolition of several additional bottles of the -fiery fluid. After this, the burghers got -completely out of hand. -</p> - -<p> -Pat O'Neill made his way to the dining-room, -where he found his master, Mrs. Lovat, -and Mary. -</p> - -<p> -"This is a bad day for us all, sorr," said -Pat respectfully. "These heathens are clearing -out all we have on the place. They are drinkin' -harder now, sorr, than anything I've ever seen -in the dear ould counthry across the sea. I've -got the ould barker wid me, sorr, an' if they -insult Pat O'Neill, they'll have to look out. -You are not well, sorr; remain here until I -return, for you can do no good among the -murtherin' rascals. Oh, yes, sorr, I will take -due care av myself." -</p> - -<p> -Pat, like the majority of his versatile -countrymen, was eloquent in speech, and he added, -"The first man, sorr, who dares to lay his -dirthy fingers on you or the missis or Miss -Mary, I'll——" -</p> - -<p> -Pat's sentence was left unfinished, for the -sharp crackle from rifles broke out seemingly -in all directions, followed by loud yells and -shouts in the Dutch tongue. -</p> - -<p> -"Begorra!" ejaculated honest Pat, "it's our -bhoys, sorr. Maybe Master Jack, the darlint -av my eye, is wid them. No, sorr, you must -not move from here. You are not well enough. -The saints be praised! afther all, Pat O'Neill -is about to see a good fight once more before -he shuffles off this mortal coil, as the poet says." -</p> - -<p> -Saying this, Pat walked to the door of the -dining-room, took out the key, and after -closing the door, locked it, making temporary -prisoners of Mr. Lovat and his little family. -The ostrich farmer was a captive in his own -house. -</p> - -<p> -Wild confusion now reigned in the farmyard. -Bullets were whistling all around, and -a dozen Boers lay stretched on the ground, -dead or mortally wounded. -</p> - -<p> -In a wild stampede, the Boers climbed over -the walls, only to receive a heavy fire which -dropped several more burghers. Several of -the Boers were hopelessly intoxicated, and -made no show of resistance. -</p> - -<p class="capcenter"> -<a id="img-176"></a> -<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-176.jpg" alt=""The Boers climbed over the walls."" /> -<br /> -"The Boers climbed over the walls." -</p> - -<p> -"Hands up, you scoundrels!" yelled a -stentorian voice. "At them, boys! Down with -the rascals! Hurrah!" -</p> - -<p> -The speaker was Trooper Morton, who -carrying his rifle in his left hand, dashed -forward in pursuit of the flying burghers. Close -behind him was Jack Lovat, full of courage, -and several troopers of the corps of Rangers, -all eager to engage the enemy in a hand-to-hand -conflict. -</p> - -<p> -The Boers showed little fight, and the -excellent disposition of his men by Colonel -Malcolmson, which was largely due to information -given by Jack Lovat, led to the surrender -of several burghers, without a single casualty -on the British side. -</p> - -<p> -Among the captured was Piet Van Donnop, -who along with Emil Behrens had been sent -by Christian Uys to warn Field-cornet -Maestral. -</p> - -<p> -Pat O'Neill was almost beside himself with -delight at again meeting his young master. -Jack's first salutation was, "Where are my -father, mother, and Mary, Pat? I trust they -are all right?" -</p> - -<p> -"I saw to that, Master Jack," answered Pat. -"I locked them for safety in the dining-room;" -and the Irishman conducted Jack to the -apartment. -</p> - -<p> -The meeting between our hero and his -parents was an affecting one, for the latter -believed that their son was dead. -</p> - -<p> -The captured Boers were at once disarmed -by Colonel Malcolmson's troopers, and the -Free Staters placed under a strong guard. -</p> - -<p> -Jack had an interview with Piet Donnop. -The young Dutchman told our hero that much of -Commandant Uys's information had been derived -from Moses, who had met his just deserts. -The renegade Kaffir had been shot, with several -others in the service of the Boers, during the -attack on Major Salkeld's men in the donga. -</p> - -<p> -After the dead had been buried, Morton and -Jack took a stroll through the storeroom, and -Pat O'Neill came up to them. -</p> - -<p> -Respectfully saluting, the Irishman said, -"Sorr, you see that," pointing to a thin black -tube protruding from the trap-door. "Do you -know what that manes?" -</p> - -<p> -The two friends glanced at the fuse, and Pat -seeing that the New Zealander was smoking, -added, "Plase put out your pipe, sorr. It is -rather dangerous." -</p> - -<p> -Wondering greatly what the ex-soldier meant, -Morton obeyed; and Pat raising the trap-door, -said, "If things had gone wrong at the Kopje -Farm, I would have blown the place to -smithereens, an' meself into the bargain. By -the Rock av Cashel, not one av the spalpeens -would have escaped! Now, most likely, we -shall have peace." -</p> - -<p> -"You're a good fellow, Pat," observed Jack, -with a smile. "I think, however, the sooner you -get things squared up, the better it will be for -all of us." -</p> - -<p> -"I know what ye mane, Masther Jack. I'll -put the stuff all right;" and shouldering a spade, -the Irishman began to ladle the deadly-looking -powder into the barrel. -</p> - -<p> -"That is better," said Jack, as after -having finished his task, Pat replaced the -trap-door. -</p> - -<p> -A few minutes later, Colonel Malcolmson -held a hurried council of war in Mrs. Lovat's -drawing-room, and the gallant colonel invited -the intrepid Morton and our friend Jack to be -present and take part in the proceedings. -</p> - -<p> -It was determined to go in pursuit of the -scattered remnants of Christian Uys's -commando; but before this was done, Piet Van -Donnop was brought before the colonel for -examination. -</p> - -<p> -Piet had a somewhat crestfallen air, as he -surveyed the group of Britishers. -</p> - -<p> -"You are a burgher of the Free State, I -presume?" interrogated the colonel. -</p> - -<p> -Van Donnop glanced at Jack Lovat, and -a red glow suffused his bronzed features. -</p> - -<p> -"I am waiting for your reply, burgher," said -Colonel Malcolmson brusquely. "I trust that -my Dutch is good enough for you to understand?" -</p> - -<p> -"I am a Cape Colonist, sir," answered Piet -sheepishly. -</p> - -<p> -"A Cape rebel, you mean," observed the -colonel sternly. "How comes it that you are -caught in the act of bearing arms against His -Majesty's Government?" -</p> - -<p> -"I am fighting for my own side, sir," -answered Piet boldly. "I took up arms because -I was asked, and thought I was doing what -was right." -</p> - -<p> -"And you know what may be your fate—yes, -your possible or rather probable fate?" -was the next interrogation. -</p> - -<p> -"I do not," replied Van Donnop, "and I -care very little." -</p> - -<p> -"I scarcely wonder at that," said the colonel. -"You certainly seem to have been undergoing -a bad time of it lately. Have you been here -before? I mean before the war commenced." -</p> - -<p> -"I know him well, sir," put in Jack Lovat, -anticipating Piet's reply. "He was kind to -me when I was captured by the Boers. You -will be lenient with him, sir?" -</p> - -<p> -Invited by Colonel Malcolmson to say what -he knew about the prisoner, Jack told the -officers of the friendship that had existed -between the two families before hostilities -began, and begged the colonel to be lenient -with Piet. He urged that the young Dutchman, -like many other settlers in Cape Colony, -had been led astray by Boer emissaries. -</p> - -<p> -Before being dismissed by the council, Piet -felt that his life would be safe. He knew -that by the rules of civilised warfare, he, as a -rebel, had no claim to clemency, and noted -with gratitude Jack Lovat's appeal on his -behalf. -</p> - -<p> -The Boer prisoners had been temporarily -imprisoned in the largest ostrich kraal, and a -guard of twenty troopers with loaded rifles -placed over them. Several of the burghers -were sleeping off the effects of their late -carouse, so that the task of guarding them -was a comparatively easy one. -</p> - -<p> -Pat O'Neill now assumed full authority as -foreman of the Kopje Farm, and with more -swagger than was perhaps absolutely necessary, -chaffed the Boers about their inability to hold -a little ostrich farm. Nor were his eyes and -hands idle. -</p> - -<p> -"The dirthy beggars!" muttered Pat. -"They're fond av loot, an' why should not Pat -O'Neill, late av the ould 24th, not follow -suit?" And to Pat's credit be it said, he -proved a competent detective. -</p> - -<p> -Towards evening, Colonel Malcolmson set -off in pursuit of Commandant Uys's scattered -commando, and to his great satisfaction, our -friend Morton, now a full-blown sergeant—a -rank conferred by Colonel Malcolmson on the -field—was left in command of the guard, -entrusted with the defence of the Kopje Farm, -and the due supervision of the Boer prisoners -recently captured. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /><br /></p> - -<p><a id="chap11"></a></p> - -<h3> -CHAPTER XI -<br /><br /> -DIAMONDS GALORE -</h3> - -<p> -The troopers left in charge of the Kopje -Farm, after the rest of the Rangers departed, -had many reasons why they should congratulate -themselves on their admirable temporary -quarters. The New Zealanders for months -had lived "hard," as it is termed in soldier -language. Now they were, as a trooper -expressed it, "in clover." -</p> - -<p> -Most of the men serving in the ranks of the -Rangers were gentlemen by birth, and many -had had a university education. Sheer love -of adventure had drawn them from the -Antipodes to South Africa, and certainly during -the whole of the unfortunate campaign no corps -serving under the Union Jack did more -yeoman service than the lads from Maoriland. -</p> - -<p> -True, they had their failings. Never -expecting quarter themselves, in the hot rush of -fight, their warlike instincts caused a few, but -very few, regrettable incidents. The conflict -over, they were the most generous of -opponents, treating the wounded and captured -Boers with the utmost kindness. -</p> - -<p> -Peace reigned at the Kopje Farm. All -outward traces of the late conflict had been -removed before sunset, and Mrs. Lovat had so -far recovered her spirits that she ventured to -walk across to the kraal where the captives -were confined. -</p> - -<p> -To the wounded Boers, Mary Lovat was -the model of kindness. With her deft fingers -she applied linen bandages to their wounds, -brought them beef-tea made by her own hands, -and was most assiduous and tender in her -attentions. -</p> - -<p> -War is an awful thing. The colours that -depict it must always be of a sombre, if not -ebon hue, and Mary Lovat that night earned -the gratitude, often audibly expressed, of -the burghers, smitten, though not mortally, -by the fire from the rifles of the Auckland -Rangers. -</p> - -<p> -Pat O'Neill, war-seasoned old veteran that -he was, acted as Mary's trusted adjutant. He -was here, there, and everywhere; at one -moment giving a wounded Boer a drink of -lemon water, at another listening to the -whisperings of a delirious burgher uttered in -strange tongue, about his late home on the -Modder River. -</p> - -<p> -All that was possible under the circumstances -was done. Colonel Malcolmson, with -generous forethought and self-denial, left his -assistant surgeon at the Kopje Farm. His -principal medico, Dr. Rennie, had elected to -remain behind with the few surviving wounded -at Langeman's Nek. -</p> - -<p> -As the sun was setting, Jack Lovat and his -friend Sergeant Morton took a stroll round the -farm, and their conversation turned to the -subject uppermost in the New Zealander's -mind—diamonds. -</p> - -<p> -"The place you call Diamond Valley is -teeming with stones, I am positive," said -Morton decisively. "I'm going to explore -the place to-morrow, if nothing turns up to -prevent me." -</p> - -<p> -"With not the same results as before, I -hope," observed Jack, with a laugh. -</p> - -<p> -"I shall take my chance," said Morton, -smiling as he spoke. "I'm convinced from -what I saw that a valuable diamondiferous reef -is in existence in the valley. I would wager -my bottom sovereign—only unfortunately I -haven't got one to stake—to next to nothing -that a fortune awaits the man who exploits -the place. It is worth a try, at any rate, and -I'm going to make the venture in the morning, -and chance another capture." -</p> - -<p> -"We'll go together, then, Sergeant," said -Jack; "and if luck comes in our way, we'll -share and share alike. Most of the valley -belongs to my father, and if anything turns up, I -know he will be awfully glad to get back to the -old country." -</p> - -<p> -"Nothing to prevent it, I can assure you, my -lad," observed Morton. "Who knows what is -lying hid in this wonderful valley of yours? -Perhaps it may contain more diamonds than -are in the Kimberley district." -</p> - -<p> -Sergeant Morton was optimistic. He had -already in his possession stones which he -estimated bore a face value of two thousand -pounds. -</p> - -<p> -"We'll go and have a chat now with father -and mother," said Jack; and the two friends -made an adjournment to the room where -Mr. and Mrs. Lovat were seated, discussing the -strange drama that had been enacted at the -Kopje Farm during the past few days. -</p> - -<p> -The night passed without alarms. Sergeant -Morton and Jack never slept, but spent their time -in visiting the sentries judiciously placed around -the farm by the former. During the night a -couple of wounded Boers succumbed to their -injuries, and were buried in the little paddock -behind the house, now a miniature cemetery. -</p> - -<p> -"Bedad, sorr," said Pat O'Neill to Jack after -the burial, "this brings back ould times—when -I was twenty years younger than I am to-day. -Do you know, sorr, that I thought my blood -was gettin' a bit thin, but by the powers, I'm -spoilin' for another fight. Maybe, though, it -won't come off. By the way, sorr, did the masther -get back those five hundred sovereigns the -dirthy curs robbed him of at Jagger's Farm?" -</p> - -<p> -"I'm afraid father won't see them again, -Pat," replied Jack. "The poor beggars are -welcome to keep them. They have had a -stiffish time of it lately. I hardly think they -will make an attack on the Kopje Farm again. -What is it, Pat? Why are you fumbling in -your waistcoat?" -</p> - -<p> -"I've got a bit av loot, Masther Jack," -answered Pat. "No, sorr, not your father's -sovereigns;" and the Irishman drew out a dirty -chamois-leather bag. -</p> - -<p> -Dipping his hand into the bag, Pat withdrew -ten Kruger sovereigns and showed them to -Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"Been looting, I see, Pat," said Jack -laughingly. -</p> - -<p> -"Well, sorr, they took the masther's gold," -observed Pat, with a grin, "an' thinks I, -as the ould sayin' goes, fair exchange is no -robbery. Av course, sorr, I've been on the -look-out for a bit av loot. You will take the -coins, Masther Jack?" -</p> - -<p> -"No, no, my dear fellow; keep them yourself, -if your conscience will allow you." -</p> - -<p> -"I'm not a thafe, sorr," said Pat. "I only -thought that all was fair in love an' -war—although, the saints be praised, Pat O'Neill has -never been such a fool as to fall in love wid -any woman yet." -</p> - -<p> -"I meant no harm, Pat," observed Jack. -"You get more fiery as you get older." -</p> - -<p> -"All right, Masther Jack; I'll stick to the -money until your father gets back his five -hundred pounds. But I got something else -from the burgher I took these from." -</p> - -<p> -"And pray what is that?" inquired Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"Only a few glass stones, sorr," replied the -Irishman; and he stretched out his palm, on -which reposed a dozen or more little "glass -stones." -</p> - -<p> -"I think they're diamonds, sorr," said Pat, -"but I'm no hand at knowing jewellery." -</p> - -<p> -Sergeant Morton was passing on his way to -the ostrich kraal, and Jack called to him. -</p> - -<p> -"Hullo, Lovat! What is it?" inquired the -Colonial. "Anything the matter?" -</p> - -<p> -"Kindly look at these glass stones, as Pat -calls them," said Jack; and Morton glanced at -the pebbles, after which he looked significantly -at our hero. -</p> - -<p> -"You might point out the burgher from -whom you got these, Pat," said Jack. "I -should very much like to see the fellow who is -fond of carrying pieces of glass about with -him." -</p> - -<p> -"Then they are only glass, sorr?" inquired -the Irishman, a shade of disappointment -creeping over his face. -</p> - -<p> -"I can hardly say they are glass, at the -present time, Pat," replied Jack. "However, -I want to see the burgher from whom you took -the crystals." -</p> - -<p> -"All right, sorr," observed Pat, with alacrity. -"Come wid me, an' I'll show you the burgher. -He's a rough-looking customer, and big enough -to eat the three av us up." -</p> - -<p> -Saying this, Pat led the way to the ostrich -kraal. The imprisoned Boers looked very -dejected, and anything but the fierce fighters -recently serving in Christian Uys's commando. -</p> - -<p> -Pat walked up straight to a Free Stater of -immense size and stature. The Boer possessed -a most forbidding countenance, and scowled as -Pat approached. -</p> - -<p> -"This is the man, sorr, I took the coins an' -crystals from," said Pat. -</p> - -<p> -"Then hand the coins back to him. They -belong to him," observed Jack. -</p> - -<p> -Pat at once handed over the Kruger -sovereigns to the big burgher, whose face -instantly assumed a suaver expression. -</p> - -<p> -"We British try to be just," said Jack in -Dutch. "I am sorry that my father's servant -took the money from you. Do you mind -telling me where you obtained these?" Saying -this, Jack showed the crystals to the -burgher. -</p> - -<p> -"I picked them up in a sluit not far from -here. I thought they would make a necklace -for my daughter." -</p> - -<p> -"And you know what they are?" inquired -Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"Crystals," answered the Boer. "They are -very plentiful in my country, but have not the -same yellow colour as these." -</p> - -<p> -"Will you sell them to me?" asked Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"No, I will not take anything," answered the -burgher; "I will give them to you. You have -restored my money, and I am content." -</p> - -<p> -Jack Lovat was honest, and as he turned -away with Sergeant Morton, said to the Boer, -"I will see you again." -</p> - -<p> -Jack and his New Zealand friend returned to -the house, and for an hour were shut up in the -former's room. -</p> - -<p> -Morton examined the crystals very carefully, -while Jack awaited his verdict with considerable -anxiety. At last the New Zealander -spoke. -</p> - -<p> -"They are diamonds, Jack, sure enough, but -not of the same quality as the stones I possess, -or the one Kaffir Pete gave you. You see -these have a yellow tint distributed unevenly -throughout their substance. If the tint had -been deeper and of a uniform nature throughout, -the pebbles would represent a value of -three thousand pounds at least. The majority -of them are fractured, too. I should hand -them back to the Boer. After you have done -that, we'll make tracks for Diamond Valley. -I don't suppose we shall meet with the same -adventure as we did before. The place seems -quiet enough now." -</p> - -<p> -Jack acted on Sergeant Morton's suggestion, -and offered to restore the stones to the Boer -from whom they were taken; but the latter, to -our hero's surprise, refused to accept them, -saying, "Keep them; I can get more when I -return to my own country. I thank you all the -same for your kindness." -</p> - -<p> -An hour later, after a consultation with -his father and mother, Jack stood under -the verandah of the farmhouse, waiting for -Sergeant Morton, who was making an inspection -of the sentries and guards. It was a -beautiful day, and the sky was without a cloud. -Brilliant sunshine flooded the scene, and down -in the valley the heat hung quiveringly above -the veldt. -</p> - -<p> -Only a few hours had passed since a scene -of bloodshed and violence was being enacted -at the Kopje Farm. Now all is peaceful and -still, while the silence is almost oppressive. -</p> - -<p> -Leisurely Sergeant Morton sauntered up -to where Jack was standing, and in his -rear stalked Mr. Lovat's faithful henchman, Pat. -</p> - -<p> -"All is serene, Jack," said the New Zealander, -as he came up. "I don't think we shall see -or hear anything of our fellows until evening. -So come along. I've told Pat to be on the -alert, and to bring us word instantly should -any change in the situation take place." -</p> - -<p> -"You understand, Pat," said Jack to the -Irishman, who was standing at attention, "if -any one turns up, you will at once come over -the kopje to us. Here are my glasses, and be -sure you keep a sharp look-out." -</p> - -<p> -"All right, sorr," answered Pat; "I understand. -But mind you, don't go and get -captured again, sorr." -</p> - -<p> -Jack laughed, and linking his arm within the -New Zealander's, the two friends began -climbing the kopje in the direction of Diamond -Valley. -</p> - -<p> -Both were well armed, Jack having a Lee-Enfield -rifle, while Morton carried a Mauser, -with the use of which he was well acquainted. -The Mauser formed part of the spoil taken in -the previous day's fight. -</p> - -<p> -"If we can find poor Pete's body, we'll bury -him decently," said Jack. "He was a good -and faithful servant of my father's." -</p> - -<p> -"I'm afraid there will scarcely be any -necessity for that," observed Morton. "The -aasvogels, I am afraid, will have been at work." -</p> - -<p> -The summit of the kopje was soon reached, -and presently Jack and his companion were -overlooking the immense depression known as -the Diamond Valley. -</p> - -<p> -Jack led the way straight to where the Kaffir -Pete had been killed, and to his great satisfaction -found that the poor black's body had been -left untouched by the loathsome birds of prey, -although several of them could be seen hovering -in the air at some distance away. -</p> - -<p> -Our hero insisted upon Pete having a decent -temporary interment, and a hollow was soon -found, in which the "boy" was placed, and -covered with stones and earth. -</p> - -<p> -"Now, Jack, my boy, we must make tracks -for the diamonds," said Morton, after the -burying operations were completed. "Hullo!" -he added. "Look out, Jack!" -</p> - -<p> -The New Zealander, one of the coolest -Irregulars serving in the campaign, was -speaking in an excited tone of voice. -</p> - -<p> -Jack Lovat turned his head in surprise. -Not more than a yard from him, a huge black -snake, with uplifted head and ominous-looking -poison fangs, was preparing to hurl itself on the -young settler. -</p> - -<p> -In a moment Jack took in the situation, and -sprang aside. A rifle report rang out, and the -loathsome reptile fell at Jack's feet, an inert -mass of dead matter. A bullet from Sergeant -Morton's rifle had shattered the snake's head. -</p> - -<p> -"A near squeak that, Jack," said Morton, -with a laugh. "They tell me that a bite from -one of these snakes means almost instant -death." -</p> - -<p> -"I'm jolly glad, Sergeant, you warned me, -and better still, hit the brute. I'm awfully -obliged to you." -</p> - -<p> -"Don't mention it, Jack. And now for that -little blue reef!" responded the sergeant. "I -trust we shall be able to find it." -</p> - -<p> -"I think I can locate it," said Jack; "it is -somewhere down here." -</p> - -<p> -"Right you are, Jack," observed Morton. -"The side of the donga rose almost -perpendicularly, I remember. A band of blue clay -runs horizontally along the gneiss. Why, here -we are. This is the very place where the -nigger said he found the pebble you showed -me. I've come prepared this time, Jack;" and -the sergeant drew a formidable-looking -bill-hook from his belt. -</p> - -<p> -"I've gone one better than that," said Jack, -with a smile, as he took a small pickaxe from -his pocket and placed it in a shaft which he -had brought from the farm. -</p> - -<p> -"The very thing, Jack!" cried Morton. -"Why, you're a trump!" -</p> - -<p> -"Living on the veldt makes you sharp," said -Jack drily. -</p> - -<p> -Morton took the pickaxe and began hewing -at the band of blue clay. -</p> - -<p> -"No, leave it alone, Jack," said the sergeant, -as Jack stooped to pick up the clay. "I may -hit you, and that would be a very bad ending -to what I consider a promising career." -</p> - -<p> -"All right, Sergeant," responded Jack -cheerfully. "Then I'll stand by and see you do the -hard work, while I share the profits." -</p> - -<p> -For a few moments, Sergeant Morton applied -the pickaxe vigorously, then a ringing sound -followed the blows. -</p> - -<p> -"A selvage pocket!" muttered the New -Zealander, as he scooped out the remnants of -clay. "Hard luck, Jack, the worst of bad luck. -The pocket has given out. It can't be helped. -And now let us examine our spoil." -</p> - -<p> -With trembling fingers, it must be confessed, -Sergeant Morton proceeded to examine the -blue clay he had dislodged, while Jack with a -big clasp knife followed suit. -</p> - -<p> -An exclamation burst from the New -Zealander. -</p> - -<p> -"Jack!" he cried excitedly, "we are both -made men!" and he showed to our hero a -substance rather larger than a walnut. -</p> - -<p> -"This is a klip, Jack; one of the finest South -Africa has yet produced. I must rest a while; -I'm too excited to do any more;" and the -cool-headed New Zealander, the man who had -been in a hundred fights without showing the -slightest trace of fear, sat down, and with great -difficulty restrained himself from shedding -tears. -</p> - -<p> -Poverty and its attendant struggles would -be a thing of the past, and, in his Antipodean -home, the war-worn Ranger would be able to -share in the luxuries and happiness which -wealth, if judiciously used, can bestow on its -fortunate recipients. -</p> - -<p> -Several additional diamonds of large size -were found by Morton and Jack in the blue -clay dislodged from the selvage pocket. These -were carefully gathered, and the two friends -were on the point of returning to the Kopje -Farm, when they saw a figure silhouetted -against the skyline. -</p> - -<p> -"I fancy it is Pat," said Jack. "I wonder -what news he brings. I trust Colonel -Malcolmson has captured the commando." -</p> - -<p> -"I hope such may be the case," observed -the New Zealander. "However, let us move -forward as rapidly as we can, and ascertain -what is the matter." -</p> - -<p> -The new-comer proved to be Pat, and the -worthy Irishman seemed to be somewhat -flurried. -</p> - -<p> -"I've come as ye tould me, sorr," said Pat, -as the two friends came up. -</p> - -<p> -"Any news?" inquired Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"The best av news, sorr," answered Pat. -"It would take more than half a dozen -commandos to take the Kopje Farm now." -</p> - -<p> -"What do you mean, Pat? I don't quite -understand." -</p> - -<p> -"I mane that a rigimint av English Lancers -is now at the farmstead, and some av the -Rangers are expected soon. There has been -a big fight close to Springbokfontein, and the -Boers have been badly licked by our men, and -the burgher they call Uys has been captured -wid all his baggage. You are going home -now, sorr, I suppose?" -</p> - -<p> -"That is so, Pat," answered Jack; and we -may rest assured that the distance between the -summit of the kopje and the farm was covered -in record time. -</p> - -<p> -Pat's information proved correct; for three -squadrons of British Lancers were temporarily -resting at Mr. Lovat's ostrich farm. -</p> - -<p> -Jack was greatly impressed by the appearance -of the Lancers. Most of the soldiers -were young men, but all looked fit and hardy. -Theirs had been a rough life for many months, -trekking up and down the colony in search -of rebel bands. -</p> - -<p> -Major Lambton, who commanded the -Lancers, proved an affable gentleman, and -received Jack with the greatest courtesy. -Sergeant Morton half expected a wigging for -being absent from his post, but escaped the -infliction. -</p> - -<p> -A couple of despatch riders had ridden over -from Springbokfontein, conveying the news of -the Boers' defeat, and also a command that the -prisoners captured at the Kopje Farm should -be hurried down to the town at the earliest -moment. Half a dozen troopers were to be -left at the farm, if Mr. Lovat so desired. -</p> - -<p> -Major Lambton decided to leave a half troop -of his Lancers with the ostrich farmer, while -with the remainder of his command he -intended to join Colonel Malcolmson. -</p> - -<p> -Jack obtained permission from his father, -although it was not readily accorded, to proceed -with Sergeant Morton to Springbokfontein. -Our hero felt sorry for Piet Van Donnop and -his comrades, who appeared very dejected. -The journey, too, had to be performed on -foot over a rough country. -</p> - -<p> -The wounded Boers were left in the ostrich -kraal, until arrangements for them to be -conveyed to Springbokfontein could be completed. -</p> - -<p> -It was late in the afternoon when Jack and -Morton arrived at the town. A big fight had -taken place in the early morning between the -Rangers and the now concentrated commando -of the redoubtable Christian Uys. -</p> - -<p> -It had proved a stubborn encounter; but -the Rangers, under the brilliant leadership of -Colonel Malcolmson, forced the fighting, and -after much slaughter on both sides, the Boers -ran up the white flag, and the action ceased. -</p> - -<p> -Christian Uys, Veldt-cornet Steyn, and -several officers were taken prisoners, and -lodged in the Town Hall at Springbokfontein. -It was evident that the Boers had sympathisers -in the town, for many scowling looks were -bestowed on the Lancers and the Rangers, -escorting the prisoners captured at the Kopje -Farm. -</p> - -<p> -To Jack's great delight, he found that the -British wounded had arrived from Langeman's -Nek, and although Major Salkeld was severely -wounded, the doctor had great hopes of his -complete recovery. -</p> - -<p> -Jack Lovat had an object in visiting -Springbokfontein, and soon after his arrival he sought -and obtained an interview with Colonel -Malcolmson. -</p> - -<p> -Jack was accompanied by Sergeant Morton, -and in an open though respectful manner he -made known his errand to the colonel. -</p> - -<p> -"I have come to make inquiries about my -father's money, sir," began Jack. "He was -robbed of five hundred pounds a few days -ago, by some Boers belonging to the -commando you have captured." -</p> - -<p> -"Oh, yes, I see, my boy; you are Mr. Lovat's -son," said the colonel. "I must congratulate -you on the splendid spirit you have shown -during this very trying time. You have a -perfect right to make every inquiry. I know, of -course, about the robbery, for such it was, I -am shortly having an interview with -Commandant Uys and his veldt-cornet. If you -wish, you can go with me, and you as -well, Sergeant Morton. I believe the back -of the rebellion is broken in this part of the -colony." -</p> - -<p> -Jack thanked the colonel for his courtesy, -and said that he should be pleased if he could -have an opportunity of speaking to the -commandant. A few minutes later, Jack -stood before the redoubtable Boer leader. -</p> - -<p> -Uys was confined, along with several of his -officers, in a large room in the Town Hall. -Several of the Boer officers with him had been -wounded, but there was a haughty look on all -their faces. Although captured, their spirits -were not broken. -</p> - -<p> -The commandant opened his eyes in -astonishment as he beheld Jack, who returned -the gaze with interest. -</p> - -<p> -"I have come to ask about my father's -money, Commandant," said Jack. -</p> - -<p> -"What money?" demanded Uys. -</p> - -<p> -"The money of which he was robbed by -your brigands," answered Jack boldly in -Dutch. -</p> - -<p> -"You are the young rooinek who escaped -from my laager?" inquired the commandant. -</p> - -<p> -"I am," replied Jack stolidly. -</p> - -<p> -"After killing one of my best burghers," -said the Boer leader in a stern tone of voice. -</p> - -<p> -"You say so," said Jack. "It is a time of -war, and many men are being killed daily. I -have come to ask about my father's money, -of which he was robbed at Jagger's Farm. -He was not, and is not even now, at war with -your race." -</p> - -<p> -"I have not your father's money," observed -Uys. "If I had, I would restore it to you. I -cannot always restrain my burghers." -</p> - -<p> -"But you are responsible for their actions, -Commandant," said Jack boldly. "Your men -also without provocation attacked my father's -farm, but our Kaffirs and I repelled their -assault." -</p> - -<p> -"One question, youngster. I have given you -an honest answer to a straight question. Who -was your companion when we captured you in -the donga?" asked Uys. -</p> - -<p> -"He is here to answer for himself, -Commandant. His name is Morton;" and Jack -stepped to one side, saying as he did so, -"Allow me, Commandant, to introduce Sergeant -Morton of the Auckland Rangers to you." -</p> - -<p> -The Boer leader frowned, and muttered, -"I thought so! He is a lucky fellow." -</p> - -<p> -Finding that he could derive no satisfaction -from the answers given to his inquiries -respecting his father's money, Jack bowed to the -commandant and retired. -</p> - -<p> -A couple of hours later, our hero found -himself at the Kopje Farm, relating to his -parents the adventures of the day, and when -he flung himself on his bed, he felt that peace -once more had come to dwell around his -father's farmstead. -</p> - -<p class="t3"> -* * * * * *<br /> -</p> - -<p> -Two years have passed away since the -incidents recorded in this little book happened. -</p> - -<p> -Under the silken folds of the Union Jack, -Dutch and British alike enjoy the same liberties -and privileges; but it is not of the land under -the brilliant Southern Cross that we now -write. -</p> - -<p> -The purple heather is blooming on the -moors and hillsides of bonnie Scotland, and -in the glens shots are heard. Grouse-shooting -has commenced in the Highlands, and a party -of four are stalking through the heather, on -sport intent. -</p> - -<p> -One is a young lady, just blossoming into -glorious womanhood. She is a keen sportswoman, -and can handle a gun as well as the -best of them. Her name is Miss Lovat, and -she is the sister of the Laird of Airdtullish. -Her face is darker than those of the majority -of her fair countrywomen, but veldt breezes and -scorching sunshine have the knack of tanning -faces belonging to those of European birth. -</p> - -<p> -Her companion is a gentleman of soldierly -appearance, with a decided limp in his gait. -The hair shading his temples is tinged with -gray, although he is not yet forty. The quiet, -soldierly man is our friend Major Salkeld, -whose gallant defence against big odds in the -donga over against Diamond Valley is recorded -in the annals of the Auckland Rangers. -</p> - -<p> -Since the grouse-shooting began, he has -been Miss Lovat's devoted companion. -</p> - -<p> -Let us glance at the remaining couple. -Both are men, broad-shouldered and -clean-flanked. We have met them before; for the -younger man is our old friend Jack Lovat, -and his companion Charlie Morton, head -partner in the big diamond-broking firm of -Morton & Company, Hatton Garden. -</p> - -<p> -Jack's father is dead, and lies in the little -cemetery at Orangefontein. The blow received -from the clubbed rifle at Jagger's Farm -inflicted a more severe wound than was at first -imagined, and he gradually sickened and died. -</p> - -<p> -Mrs. Lovat is still in the land of the living, -but remains in delicate health. She is lovingly -watched over by Mary and Jack, who are -doing their best to smooth the dark passage -leading to the life beyond. -</p> - -<p> -There is another character who acts the <i>rôle</i> -of butler at Airdtullish Castle whom we must -present to our readers. He is our honest -friend Pat O'Neill, formerly the faithful -henchman of Mr. Lovat, and now of his son. His -tongue is as voluble as ever, and nothing -delights him more than to recount the deeds -of the young laird of Airdtullish to the servants -at the Castle. -</p> - -<p> -Morton and Jack are engaged in conversation. -</p> - -<p> -"I often think about those five hundred -sovereigns, Jack, which the Boers sneaked -from your father. You never saw them again, -I suppose?" -</p> - -<p> -Jack laughed as he replied, "Well, perhaps -I never did rest my optics upon the identical -coins; but Colonel Malcolmson saw that my -father had their value in horses, before he took -Maestral's commando to Springbokfontein. My -father certainly lost nothing by the bargain. -It was rather fortunate in one sense that the -Boers robbed him." -</p> - -<p> -"What do you mean?" inquired the -diamond merchant. -</p> - -<p> -"Why, you would never have seen the -Diamond Valley and Airdtullish. Our paternal -home would never have been mine. I deeply -grieve, however, for my father." -</p> - -<p> -The pair relapsed into silence, and stood for -a few moments gazing at the purple-clad -mountains in the west. Here we must leave -them, and say "Au revoir!" to the quartette, -and to our boy readers who have followed the -fortunes of the inmates of the Kopje Farm. -</p> - -<p><br /><br /></p> - -<p class="t3"> -THE END -</p> - -<p><br /><br /></p> - -<p class="t4"> -WILLIAM COLLINS, SONS, AND CO. 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