the Russels, Tom Salter, and Wilfred were. There was now no reason for
keeping his mission a secret, and as he joined the party in a cup of
afternoon-tea he told them that he was about to set out for Mafeking.

Wilfred's face at once showed his disappointment, for he would have
gladly accompanied his friend; while Eileen went suddenly pale to the
lips, and almost dropped her cup. But she recovered herself quickly,
and said good-bye cheerfully.

"Good-bye, Jack!" she murmured earnestly. "Take care of yourself, for
we should all be sorry if you were captured."

"By Jove, old chap," Wilfred broke in impetuously, "I wish I were going
with you! It will be awfully flat here without you to liven us up. I
only hope we shall have plenty of fighting while you are away.
Good-bye, and if you meet any of the Boers just give them fits! You're
well able to."

Frank Russel and Tom Salter slapped him heartily on the back and wished
him luck, and in another moment he was striding up the street, with
clanking spurs, looking a typical young colonist, and one, moreover,
well able to take care of himself.

Arrived at the head-quarter office, he was shown in, and accosted by the
same officer as before.

"Here are your despatches," he said, producing a thin piece of
tissue-paper very finely written upon, "and now we must decide where to
hide them. It is an important document, and if it fell into the Boers'
hands would do us a large amount of harm. What do you think of the
puggaree round your hat for a hiding-place?"

"Well, it seems to me," replied Jack, "that that is just the kind of
thing they would search. I have been thinking about it as I came along,
and believe that a far safer place will be in the case of my Mauser
pistol. Here it is, under my arm, and it has already escaped
detection."

"Splendid! Of course that will be far and away the best place,"
exclaimed the officer. "And now, in case the Boers should capture you,
here is a letter stating that you are a despatch-rider acting for the
British. Without that they would probably shoot you as a spy. Now you
can start as soon as you like. If you reach Mafeking in safety, tell
the boys there that all goes swimmingly with us, and we hope it is the
same with them. Well, good-bye, Somerton, and the best of luck go with
you!"

They shook hands, and Jack clattered downstairs and into the street,
where he found a shaggy-looking horse waiting for him. In a moment he