for myself and my horse for Port Elizabeth, and then
go up and enlist in one of the yeomanry corps with
Roberts. When he once starts there will be plenty
of movement on that side; while here, even if we get
to Ladysmith, we may be fixed there for no one can
say how long. You see what it is here, and if
the Boers don’t lose heart, and defend the Biggarsberg
and the Drakensberg, we shall find at least as much
difficulty there as we shall here. It is quite
certain that the Ladysmith men will take a long time
to recover from what they have gone through; and as
for the cavalry, I fancy their horses have been eaten.
If they had been out here with us, instead of being
cooped up in there, we should have been able to make
it hot for the Boers when they retire, and to keep
them on the run, but with so small a force as we have
we should hardly be able to do so. Besides, they
have so many lines of retreat. The Free Staters
can go over to the left to Van Reenen and the other
passes; another commando can go east; there are plenty
of fords on the Buffalo; and they would retire on
Vryheid, while the main body could make a stand at
the Biggarsberg; and as they always seem able to carry
their cannon off with them, our cavalry would do nothing
without artillery and infantry.”
There had been no pause in the work of preparation
while they were talking, and the horses were now saddled,
the food divided, the saddle-bags packed, and the
blankets and waterproofs strapped on. Chris went
across to Captain Brookfield’s tent. “We
are all ready for a start, sir.”
The officer looked at his watch. “It is
three minutes under the half-hour, Chris. How much
ammunition are you taking with you?”
“A hundred and fifty rounds each, sir, of which
I don’t suppose we shall use above ten at the
outside. Still, there is never any saying; and
if we should get besieged we shall want it all.
Your horse is ready for you, Mr. Searle.”
“And I am ready too,” the farmer said,
getting up from the table and stretching himself.
“I ought not to have sat down. I could ride
as far as most at twenty, but I have not done so much
for the last fifteen years, and I feel stiff in every
limb. However, I shall be all right when I have
gone a few miles, and that wash I had before breakfast
has done me a world of good. Now, sir, I am ready,
and whether we shall succeed or not, I thank you with
all my heart for coming with me.” “Good-bye,
Chris!” Captain Brookfield said. “I
expect you will all turn up again, like bad pennies,
before many days have gone.”
“I hope so, sir,” Chris said. “I
should be sorry to miss the end here after having
seen it so far.”
A rescue.
When Chris went out with Captain Brookfield and the
farmer, the lads had shaken hands with all their friends,
and were standing by the side of their horses ready
to mount. Jack and the two Zulus were standing
a few yards behind them. Japhet had brought up
the other spare horse.
