Boyce regarded him glitteringly for a long time.  A scheme of salvation was taking vivid shape in his mind....

“My report of this occurrence will be that as soon as, say, three men dropped here, the rest of the troop got into a panic and made a bolt of it.  Say the Sergeant and myself remained.  We broke into the house and did for the old Boer, who, however, unfortunately did for the Sergeant.  Then I alone went out in search of my men and following their track found they had gone in a wrong direction, and eventually scented danger, which was confirmed by my meeting you, with your bloody tunic and your bloody tale.”

“But good God! sir,” cried the man, “You’d be having me shot for running away.  I could tell a damned different story, Captain Boyce.”

“Who would believe you?”

The Cockney intelligence immediately appreciated the situation.  It also was ready for the alternative it guessed at the back of Boyce’s mind.

“I know it’s a mess, sir,” he replied, with a straight look at Boyce.  “A mess for both of us, and, as I have said, I’ll leave it to you, sir.”

“Very well,” said Boyce.  “It’s the simplest thing in the world.  There were four killed at once, including Sergeant Oldham.  You remained faithful when the others bolted.  You and I tackled the old Boer and you got wounded.  You and I went on trek for the rest of the troop.  We got within breathing distance of the Commando—­ how many strong?”

“About a couple of hundred, sir.”

“And of course we bolted back without knowing anything about the troop, except that we are sure that, dead or alive, the Boers have accounted for them.  If you’ll agree to this report, we can ride back to Headquarters and I think I can promise you sergeant’s stripes in a very short time!”

“I agree to the report, sir,” said Somers, “because I don’t see that I can do anything else.  But to hell with the stripes under false pretences and don’t you try playing that sort of thing off on me.”

“As you like,” replied Boyce, unruffled.  “Provided we understand each other on the main point.”

So they left the farm and rode to Headquarters and Boyce made his report, and as all save one of his troop were dead, there were none, save that one, to gainsay him.  On his story no doubt was cast; but an officer who loses his whole troop in the military operation of storming a farm-house garrisoned by one old man does not find peculiar favour in the eyes of his Colonel.  Boyce took a speedy opportunity of transference, and got into the thick of some fighting.  Then he served with distinction and actually got mentioned in dispatches for pluckily rescuing a wounded man under fire.