lurks in complete
concealment. But to take the house there was absolute need for this,
and believing that after all there were not many opposed to them, they
ventured to approach.

And now the superiority of khaki clothing was fully sustained, for
instead of being barely visible, each one of the Boers formed a black
bull's-eye against the waving veldt, and was an easy target for the
rifles of Jack and his friends.

Loading and firing rapidly and steadily, they picked off one recumbent
figure after another, and after five minutes' work, when their rifles
were becoming so hot that they could scarcely hold them, the enemy
stopped and hesitated, and then fled in confusion, pursued still by the
merciless bullets. When they reached the Maxim they stopped, and three
of their number commenced to place it in position so as to rake the
farmhouse.

But Jack and his two friends, helped now by Eileen, concentrated their
fire upon it, and picked off the Boers. More at once rushed pluckily
forward to take their places, but suffered the same fate, and soon,
stung by the bullets which still spattered amongst them and struck puffs
of dust from the ground, the enemy bolted out of range, leaving their
Maxim behind them.

"By Jove, if we only possessed a few more rifles," exclaimed Wilfred
impetuously, "we would go out and bring in that gun. But it's
impossible as things are, and I expect we shall have something else to
think of shortly."

But, contrary to their expectations, nothing occurred, on shells flew
overhead, and the Boers seemed to have disappeared from sight Jack
climbed up on to the table and mounted on the chair. Then he searched
all round with his glasses, and made out a number of men riding off in
the distance towards Kimberley. He climbed up the iron sheets on to the
top, and looked out behind. Here, too, all seemed deserted, but the
sight of a half-hidden figure behind one of the low houses a mile away
told him that they were still watched by the enemy.

"They've left us alone for a little," he said, "but there are men all
round us. The guns have gone, and I expect our friends have ridden back
for reinforcements. You may be certain, though, that they have left
sufficient behind to make it impossible for us to approach that Maxim.
Well, I suppose we have nothing to do but wait. To-night, if we can
last out so long, the garrison in Kimberley will make a sortie, but I
think we are too far out for them to reac