right if his hams were burned down."

"So it would," said my companion; "but I don't want us to be burned in
them. Oh dear!"

"What's the matter?" I said.

"I wish this old war was over, and the same wish comes every night when
I can't sleep; but in the daytime I feel as different as can be, and
begin desiring that we could overtake the Boers and all who caused the
trouble, and give them such a thrashing as should make them sue for
peace. I say--"

"Yes," I replied.

"That's all. Good-night. I can't smell the smoking now."

Neither could I.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

WE MAKE A DISCOVERY.

"Oh, I don't like it; I don't like it," cried Denham to me, as he rode
up to my side while we were cantering over the veldt one day. "We
always seem to be running away."

"Manoeuvring," I said, with a laugh.

"Oh, hang so much manoeuvring!" he muttered. "The Boers set it all down
to cowardice, and hold us in contempt."

"It doesn't matter what they think," I said, as we rode on over the
splendid open highland, with the brisk bracing air whistling past our
ears, and our horses seeming thoroughly to enjoy the run; "we've shown
the enemy time after time that we are not cowards."

"But we're running away again; we're running away again."

"Nonsense," I said; "we're altering our position. I declare I'm getting
to be a better soldier than you are. Would it be right to stand fast
here and let the Boers surround us and lie snugly behind the rocks to
take careful aim and shoot us all down, horse and man?"

"Oh, I suppose not," groaned my companion; "but I hate--I loathe--
running away from these bullet-headed double-Dutchmen. They think it so
cowardly."

"Let them, in their ignorance," I said. "It seems to me far more
cowardly to hide one's self behind a stone and bring down with a rifle a
man who can't reach them."

"Perhaps so. But where are we making for?"

"That clump of rocks right out yonder, that looks like a town."

"But they're making for that too," said Denham, shading his eyes by
pulling down the rim of his soft felt hat.

"Yes," I said; "and there's another body behind us, and one on each
flank. We're surrounded."

"Then why doesn't the Colonel call a halt and let us stand shoulder to
shoulder and fight it out with the ring?"

"Because he wants to save all our lives, I suppose."

"`He who fights and runs away will live to fight another day,'" said
Denham, with a bitter sneer. "Oh, I'm sick