ome of the rivers literally swarm
with fish."

"When I get back to England," the colonel said, "I must advise some of
my friends to try it As you say, there are scores of men who spend their
thousands a year on deer-forests, grouse-shooting, and horseracing, and
it would be a new sensation for them to come out for a few months'
shooting in the interior of Africa. I must not tell them too much of
the close shaves that you and your friends have had. A spice of danger
adds to the enjoyment, but the adventures that you have gone through go
somewhat beyond the point."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

THE BOER INSURRECTION.

The next morning the lads bade farewell to Mr Harvey and the three
hunters, and then rode on with the regiment. The day passed as quietly
as the preceding ones had done.

On the 20th the column was marching along a road commanded on both sides
by rising ground. The troops as usual were marching at ease; one
company was ahead of the line of waggons, two companies marched in
straggling order by the side of the long teams, and the fourth company
formed the rearguard.

Suddenly, without the slightest warning, a flash of fire burst from the
edge of the rise at either side. Numbers of the men fell, and a scene
of the wildest confusion ensued. Some of the young soldiers ran for
shelter underneath the waggons; others hastily loaded and fired in the
direction of their unseen foes.

The colonel and officers strove to steady the men, and to lead them up
the slope to attack the Boers; but so deadly was the fire of the latter,
and the men fell in such numbers, that the colonel soon saw that
resistance was hopeless. Many of the officers were killed or wounded by
the first fire, and in five minutes after the first shot was fired 120
men were killed or wounded; and as the rest could not be got together to
charge up the slope under the deadly fire of the Boers, the colonel, who
was himself wounded, surrendered with the survivors to the Boers. Two
or three mounted officers only succeeded in getting through.

When the fire opened, Dick and Tom at once threw themselves off their
horses, and, unslinging their rifles, opened fire. When they saw the
bewilderment and confusion, and how fast the men were dropping under the
fire of the Boers, Dick said to his friend,--

"It is all up, Tom; it is simply a massacre. We will wait for a minute
or two, and then mount and make a dash for it."

Their horses were both lying