al Fort. All these, unless otherwise mentioned, are
defended by the Town Guard."

Operations began on the 12th with an episode that cannot afford to be
forgotten. It was discovered that two trucks of dynamite were in the
station yard, and it was at once decided, for the safety of the
population, that they must be removed. An engine was, therefore,
despatched in charge of a plucky driver (Perry) for the purpose of
conveying the trucks into the open, where they might explode without
danger to the town. While he was engaged in the work of deporting the
destructive material, the enemy suddenly appeared and commenced to fire.
Perry, with the utmost coolness, a coolness which in the circumstances
was nothing less than heroism, uncoupled his engine, and leaving the
trucks to their fate, steamed back to the town. Before he could reach
his destination, however, the shock of an awful detonation greeted his
ears. The Boers had again fired on the trucks, believing them to be full
of passengers, and, as a natural consequence, the dynamite had exploded!

The garrison, numbering from 800 to 1000, now began to furbish itself
up, to arm and practise with the rifle. The old forts round the place
were put into repair, and the armoured train, with a Maxim gun and a
Nordenfeldt, was made ready for coming excursions. Nothing was
neglected. It was well known that the Boers looked upon the town as
their personal property, and when it came to fighting, meant to make it
so--if they could! The two available regiments, the Protectorate
Regiment and the Mounted Police, spent most of their time manoeuvring,
with a view to awakening the intelligent interests of the ranks and
instructing the men on the nature of the ground in the vicinity. Colonel
Baden-Powell lost no opportunity of preparing for the gallant Cronje,
and, in order to show that he did not mean to be caught napping, some
nights were passed by the garrison in their day kit.

On the 12th October an armoured train that was escorting two light guns
of old pattern from the Cape to Mafeking was seized by the Boers, who
had torn up the rails at Kraalpan. They pounded the machine with
artillery, and captured it with guns and men in charge--all, save the
engine-driver, being made prisoners. Lieutenant Nesbitt was wounded and
the driver lost five fingers. The latter escaped through hiding himself
in the sand and thus avoiding observation. In Mafeking itself the
Sisters of the Roman Catholic