ridge of table-land. A particularly wild and forsaken
tract of country.

"We shall have to halt at the first water," said the brigadier. "What
an unholy place to camp in! Well, if there are no Boers it doesn't
matter. It's lucky that we had a turn-up against those fellows to-day.
They will hardly stomach a night-attack with the echo of a pom-pom
chorus still ringing in their ears. Is that a flag?"

The advance-guard were beginning to show like stunted tree-trunks upon
the sky-line on our front. Yes; it was a flag. There was work for the
lumbering dragoon signaller again. Slowly he spelt out the message:
"No enemy have been seen. Ridge is clear. Right flanking patrol had
touch with rear troop of Major Twine's squadron, now moving on
Nieuwjaarsfontein. Lieutenant Meadows, rejoined, reports Major Twine's
squadron seen several bodies of enemy; his squadron has been sniped,
but not seriously engaged. Country very open on far side of ridge.
Good camping-ground and water at foot of ridge."

"Good business!" said the brigadier, turning to his chief of staff.
"Will you canter up and mark out a camp? It's a great relief to find
that that advance squadron hasn't been scuppered."

A more dismal camping-ground could not have been found. The fair veldt
seemed to have vanished. Instead of a sprinkling of farms, there was
only one human habitation within sight--a miserable edifice of mud and
unbaked bricks belonging to a Boer shepherd of the lowest type. The
dam was a natural depression formed by what appeared to have been the
crater of some long-extinct volcano. The country surrounding it was of
the roughest, and to make the situation more depressing, with sundown
great banks of cloud had gathered in the west. The brigadier might
well be anxious for his small force of raw troops in such a fastness,
and it is easy to appreciate the feeling which prompted him to
personally post the night pickets. But raw troops, raw transport, all
will settle down in time, and an hour after sundown the men were
having their food.

Before the main body moved into camp the Tiger had made a discovery.
He had found a wounded Boer in the shepherd's shanty. A stalwart young
Dutchman, with his right hand horribly shattered by a pom-pom shell.
The youth was in great pain, and, as the Boer so often has proved, was
very communicative under his hurt. He was a Free Stater from
Philippolis, and belonged to Judge Hertzog's commando. He was one of
fifteen scouts