of it. Look here; those
brutes of Boers will reach that great kopje first, drop amongst the
stones, and shoot us all down just when we get there with our horses
pumped out."

"Yes," I said, "if you keep on talking instead of nursing your horse."

"Are you aware that I am your officer?" he cried angrily.

"Quite," I replied; "but I was talking to my friend."

"Friend be hanged!" he snapped out. "Keep your place."

"I am keeping my place," I said--"knee to knee with you; and our horses
are going as if they were harnessed together. I say, what a race!"

"Yes, it's splendid," said Denham excitedly. "Oh, how I wish the brutes
would stand fast and let us charge right into them--through them--cut
them to pieces, or ride them down! I feel strung up for anything now."

I nodded at him, and panted out something about his knowing that the
enemy would not stand for a charge.

It was exciting. By accident, of course, in following out certain
instructions from the General in command, to take a certain course and
cut off a commando of the Boers, we had somehow managed to get into an
awkward position, no less than four strong bodies of the enemy hemming
us in.

There was nothing for our commander to do but make for the nearest
shelter, and this presented itself in the distance in the shape of what
looked like one of the regular piles of granite rocks, which, if we
reached it first, we could hold against the enemy, however greatly they
outnumbered us; though even then it seemed plain enough that they were
far more than ten to one.

"Shall we do it?" said Denham as we rode on, having increased our pace
to a gallop.

"Yes," I said; "I don't think there's a doubt of it now. We're on
better ground, and they're getting among rocks."

"The flanks are closing in fast," said Denham.

"Yes; but we shall be out of the jaws of the trap before it closes," I
said, "and we're leaving the last lot behind fast."

"Oh," said Denham between his teeth, "if we can only get time to hurry
the horses into shelter and give the enemy one good volley before they
sneak off!"

"Well, it looks as if we shall. But look! look!" I said excitedly;
"that's not a kopje."

"What is it, then?"

"A town, with a fort and walls. We're riding into a solid trap, I'm
afraid."

"Nonsense; there's no town out here."

"But look for yourself," I said excitedly. "It's a fort, and occupied.
I can see men on the walls."

"Impossible. There's no fo