nd noticing that they had not moved. Then he
heard shouts from inside the house, a loud bang, and the trampling of
feet just beneath him, which told him that Piet Maartens and his
companions had secured another ladder and were already in the loft.

There was not a moment to be lost. He scrambled on to the ladder and
down to the verandah roof. Then he shifted his ladder and clambered
down it to the ground, and was on the point of moving off when a rough
hand forced something into his mouth, preventing him from crying out, a
sack was thrown over his head, and he was carried away swiftly and
bundled into a four-wheeled cart, which was driven off at a rapid pace.

For the moment Jack was bewildered. But he quickly realised that after
all his caution the slim Boer had been too clever for him. One of the
Zarps must have seen him climbing down the roof, and now he was in their
hands, a prisoner, and with what fate before him? On his wrists a pair
of handcuffs had been slipped, and at either side of him sat an armed
Zarp. He could tell that, for each held him by the arm as though afraid
that he would still contrive to get away, while one of them clicked the
lock of his revolver in a very suggestive manner close to Jack's head.

"Well, I suppose I had better sit still and wait," he thought. "I must
try to remember the various turnings, so that I shall know where they
are taking me and how to return."

But this proved unnecessary. The cart rattled along through the streets
and then out into the veldt. About half a mile outside the town it
slowed down, the sack was removed, and Jack found he was close to the
railway.

A few minutes later there was the shriek of an engine, and a locomotive
and one carriage steamed up and stopped close by them.

Jack was bundled unceremoniously and with many a brutal jeer out of the
cart and into the train, which at once went ahead, carrying him in the
direction of Pretoria with three rough-looking, shaggy Boers, one of
whom was the identical man who had acted as sentry in the magazine when
Jack made his escape. About a mile farther on they pulled up again, and
this time Piet Maartens climbed in and joined them. Then they
proceeded, and were soon racing along at a fast pace.

"We've got you at last, my fine, brave young Englishman, have we?"
jeered Piet Maartens. "Let me give you some good advice. Make the most
of the next few minutes, as they are the last you are ever likely to