de Jack and listening intently.
"Yes, I'm sure of it; there are a lot of fellows singing together."

"Then they must be Boers, Wilfred! Frank Russel is an oldish man,
steady and quiet, and he would never think of entertaining a party of
rowdies, especially if they belonged to the enemy. He held a good
position at home, but something caused him to come out here with his
wife, where he has lived for about twenty years, cattle-ranching and
farming. Tom Salter and I have had a cup of tea with him many a time.
His wife is dead, and he has a rather pretty daughter, who runs the home
for him. I wonder what is going on over there? Frank is loyal to the
backbone, and would never think of harbouring one of England's enemies."

"Ho, ho! There's a girl there, and a pretty one too, is there, Jack?"
Wilfred chuckled. "Well, if you think that something is happening to
them we may as well go over and investigate."

"Just what I think, Wilfred. I don't like the look of things. Either
Frank has changed his mind and gone into Kimberley with Eileen, or the
Boers are ill-treating them. Keep close beside me, and we'll see what's
up. I know every foot of the ground round here, and will see that we do
not fall into a trap."

Jack at once touched his pony with his heel, and in absolute silence the
two moved forward towards the farmhouse. It consisted of one small
building, surrounded by a neat English flower-garden, and lying isolated
in the middle of the veldt, the outhouses and sheds for cattle being at
least a mile away.

As they rode up to it on the soft noiseless turf, the sound of
uproarious singing became louder, and was interrupted by bursts of
hoarse laughter.

"Hold on to my ponies," whispered Jack, when they had reached the edge
of the garden. "I'll be back as soon as I've seen what is going on."

Slipping to the ground, he passed the reins to Wilfred, and, climbing
the iron railing which fringed the garden, stole across the beds towards
the house. At the door a number of ponies were standing, knee-haltered,
and picking the grass from the borders of the garden. Jack got close up
to them and made sure that they were animate belonging to the Boers.
Then he crept up to one of the windows, and peered in beneath the blind,
which was only partly drawn.

The sight which met his eyes caused him to give a start, while an
exclamation of anger escaped his lips, for Jack was a kind-hearted lad,
and to see anyone wantonly