turn, but vainly, and
afterwards lay back panting and in great pain.

"I know," I said. I called aloud to the sentries.

There was a rush, and a man appeared at once, his rifle rattling against
the back of the wagon. I told him what we wanted, and in a grumbling
way he climbed in and did as requested, spreading one _karosse_ and
drawing the other as a cover up to our chins.

"Now loosen the reins about our wrists," I said; "they hurt dreadfully."

The man laughed.

"It isn't for long," he answered brutally. "Do you want to try to
escape, so as to be shot before morning?"

With this parting sally, he climbed out of the wagon, leaving us alone.
We lay still for about half-an-hour, when the sentries looked in from
front and back to see us lying as if asleep; but as soon as they had
gone we began a hard struggle to get our wrists free. In this attempt
we only gave ourselves excruciating pain, and found, to our despair,
that the knots of the Boers were far too well tied to be loosened. At
last, with a groan, Denham gave up the attempt. I desisted then, having
only waited for him to set the example.

"What does that sound mean?" asked Denham after a time.

"Moving horses," I replied.

"Yes; they're going to take advantage of the darkness for an advance
against the fort. Oh dear! We shall have to lie here and listen to the
firing soon. Val, I don't think I'd mind being shot in the morning if I
could only warn the Colonel. Do you think you could gnaw through my
rein?"

"I'll try," I said; and Denham was about to turn his back to me when we
heard a sound behind us--that is to say, at the front of the wagon--
which we knew to be caused by one of the sentries looking in. It soon
ceased; but just as I was going to fix my teeth in the thong which bound
my companion's wrists there came another noise at the foot, and then
again there was silence. But not so at a short distance, for we could
hear whispered orders plainly enough as we lay still, followed by the
tramp of horses' feet, and now and then the clink of bit or buckle,
which gave ample intimation that the Boers were slowly making an
advance, not to invest the fort more closely in a contracted ring, but,
as far as we could make out, in our direction.

"They're marching in troops, I believe," whispered Denham, "and they
must be making for the gateway. Then they'll dismount and deliver an
attack. They mean to take the place by assault."

"And we are to