and gripped the butt of
his Mauser pistol.

At this moment there was a sound from the shed, and on looking in that
direction Jack noticed that the sleepy sentry was half-awake once more,
and was making a desperate effort to stand upon his feet. He yawned
several times, shook himself, rubbed his eyes, and then suddenly turned
and looked towards the trucks.

But Jack had expected such a movement, and when the sentry turned, the
dim light showed him the prisoner still seated in the same position.
Once more his head nodded, and within a few minutes he had dozed off
again.

In a moment Jack was on his feet, and was darting across the concrete.
A few seconds took him into the hut, and in another moment he was at the
door. There was no lock, but it was bolted top and bottom.

He at once commenced to draw the bolts back, and had almost succeeded in
opening the door when the sentry woke at the noise, saw his prisoner
escaping, and shouted at the top of his voice.

"Stand!" cried Jack sternly, pointing his pistol at the man, as he was
in the act of leaning over to reach his rifle.

Quick as lightning he pulled back the last bolt and flung the door open,
covering the six men in front of him all the time. Three of these still
lay on the ground in their blankets, half-sitting up on their elbows,
and as yet scarcely understanding what had happened. Piet Maartens,
however, and Hans Schloss the German, had at once jumped to their feet,
and as Jack was turning to fly the latter stooped and picked up his
rifle. Before he could bring it to his shoulder there was a sharp
report, Jack's weapon flashed vengefully, and the fat little German fell
with a scream on the floor, with a Mauser bullet through the calf of his
leg. Next moment Jack had darted through the doorway, banged the door
to, and hurled a wheel-barrow, which happened to be just outside, across
it. Then he turned sharp to the right and ran round the corner of the
shed, for common sense told him that to attempt an escape across the
open veldt which stretched away in front would be to run the almost
certain risk of capture.

As it was, he crouched round the corner of the shed, and, Mauser in
hand, watched to see what would happen next.

From the inside he could still hear a succession of piercing shrieks
uttered by Hans Schloss, but these were quickly drowned by angry shouts
and oaths. There was a loud shuffling of feet, and a moment later the
door through which h