hundreds of Boers must have heard the wagons start, not one gave heed to
the crack of whip, the cries of the black drivers, or the creaking and
rumbling of the wheels. The moving of wagons of stores was quite a
matter of course; somebody had given orders for their position to be
changed, and that was all. These sounds were nothing to the weary men,
rolled up in their warm blankets, making the most of their night's rest.
Doubtless it awoke many; but they only listened for a moment, and then
turned over to sleep again. Oxen, their drivers, and the wagons had
nothing to do with the enemy. Had there been a trumpet-call, a single
shot, or a loud order, to a man they would have sprung up to rush to
their horses, saddled, and been ready to attack or defend; but the
shifting of some wagons during the night--what was that? Nor was the
Boer force a carefully drilled cavalry brigade, with its transport-corps
under the strictest discipline, every man part of a machine which only
moved by order, and whose stores and supplies were under the most severe
regulation and guard; it was a loose, irregular horde, whose officers
had to permit the men to fight very much as they pleased, so long as
they fought well and advanced and retreated at the word.

It took time to reason all this out, and to get to believe that our bold
ruse was succeeding to a far greater extent than I had ever dared to
hope. There it was all plainly enough--all real; the wagons were going
steadily along, the first guided by Joeboy, and the rest following with
their black conductors quite as a matter of course.

As far as I could make out in the darkness, we were going along parallel
with the lines of the sleeping Boers. Growing more excited now, I began
to wonder how soon Joeboy would turn the heads of the leading bullocks
and strike out for the fortress; then my thoughts drifted into a fresh
rut, and I speculated as to how long it would be before we came upon
some outpost and were turned back.

Hardly had this idea crossed my mind, sinking my spirits almost to
despair, when a great figure loomed up before me. Joeboy was at my
side.

"Got um all, Boss Val," he said in a low tone. "Doppies come and stop
us soon. Say, `Where you go?'"

"Yes; and we shall be turned back," I replied quickly.

"Um? No. Joeboy say, `Big boss tell us to go right away other end.'
Joeboy hear and know how Doppie talk, and Joeboy say right words."

"Are you sure?" I said i