fle on a boulder, Jack took a steady aim and fired, the
leader, who still carried the white flag attached to his weapon, falling
forward on his face at once. Then he loaded again and picked off
another of the attackers.

Within a minute he had discharged five more cartridges, his aim proving
true on every occasion, so that as many as four Boers now lay motionless
upon the ground, while three more were limping slowly away.

Then Jack made use of his magazine, and within as many seconds had shot
two more of the Boers who happened to be close together.

The slaughter proved too much for the men who were attacking. At no
time fond of exposing themselves in the open, they had dared it now
knowing that only one rifle was opposed to them. But that rifle in
Jack's hands was a deadly one, and, astonished and dismayed at the
accurate shooting and at the loss they had already suffered, the
remaining Boers turned and fled for their lives, Jack sending a few
parting shots after them.

"They will let us alone for a little while after that," he exclaimed
with a grunt of satisfaction. "Well, in a couple of hours it will be
dark, and if they haven't taken me by then, I shall make a bolt for it.
Will you be ready, Farney?"

"Ready, old chap!" answered Lord O'Farnel with a gay laugh. "Of course
I shall be! I dare say it will hurt a bit, but I don't want to become a
Boer prisoner any more than you do. But how are you going to manage? I
shall be awfully in the way. Why not leave me, and when you have
reached the camp, come back for me with a few others to help you, and a
stretcher?"

Jack glared at his friend.

"Did I not say I was going to get you out of this?" he said brusquely.
"I'm going to do it, and if you say another word I shall think you are
afraid I shall hurt you!"

"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Farney. "Don't get annoyed. 'Pon my word, for a
quiet inoffensive young chap, you are quite the boldest I have ever met.
Have a try at getting me out and you will not hear a groan from me.
But I wish I could help you. It's hateful to have to lie here and never
fire a shot, whilst those fellows are sending showers of bullets at us."

"Very well," replied Jack in a softer tone, "wait till it is dark and we
will get out of this. Half a minute, though. I think I shall be able
to put these Boers off the scent."

Giving a sharp look round to see that a second rush was not being made,
Jack slipped out of the fort, and, opening