em over long before they reached the fort.
After that they got under cover again, and as soon as it was dark we
slipped away, leaving a dummy stuck up on a stick to make them believe
we were there. They made a splendid rush in the dark and captured it,
and weren't they wild when they found we had gone!"

"By Jove! do you mean to say you kept a lot of them at bay, and got
clean away, bringing a badly-injured man with you?" exclaimed the
officer. "Well, you're a plucky beggar, and I shall tell our general.
By the way, have you heard that poor General Symons was badly hit, and
is now in hospital?"

"I haven't heard anything," Jack answered. "Tell me how many men we
have lost."

"Ah, it's a big list!" answered the staff-officer with a sigh. "Ten
officers killed and 22 wounded; 30 men killed and 150 wounded. It's a
big bill to pay for our success, but I suppose no bigger than one might
have expected. I dare say there will be one or two more to add to it
when the search parties have come in. They have been out a long time
now, and the Boer prisoners we took are helping like bricks. They can
fight, can those fellows, and our engagement to-day will teach both
sides a lesson. We shall respect them more, and follow their tactics of
taking cover; while they will have learnt that Rooineks are lads filled
with any amount of pluck. By Jove! it was grand to see the way in which
the 60th and the Irishmen went up that hill. They have covered
themselves with glory, and to-morrow the whole world will be singing
their praises."

"Yes, they are fine fellows," agreed Jack. "I thought it hardly
possible that men could advance in the teeth of such a storm of bullets.
But tell me what losses the Boers suffered, and what our movements are
likely to be after this."

"The Boers lost heavily. They must have done so," answered the officer;
"but exactly how many were killed and wounded it is impossible to state.
They make it a rule to carry as many as they can away with them, and
the list will never be published. Even in Pretoria they will never
know. As to our future movements, I believe we shall retire on
Ladysmith very shortly. In fact I expect it will be as much as we can
do to get there at all. Even now our communications may have been cut,
and we shall have to fight our way through. When we reach the base camp
I hear we shall make a stand and entrench ourselves. If you are anxious
to be cooped up there for a few weeks y