re moment prejudiced Oom Jan's case. A dragoon had cantered up from
the rear-guard, with the two little square inches of paper torn from a
notebook which mean so much in war.

"A party of about six mounted men are hanging on my rear. If they
approach any closer I shall fire upon them. They seem very persistent,
and do not mind exposing themselves."

As the brigadier handed the note to the chief of the staff, the
threatened firing broke out in the rear. Breakfast was declared ready
at the same moment. The brigadier listened. Two more shots were fired,
and then silence.

"That," said the brigadier, "is a very one-sided battle. It can wait
until we have had our food. I am not going to allow six men to play
'Old Harry' with my digestion."

As the meal progressed, in came another fleet orderly.

"Regret to say that party reported on my rear was Lieutenant Meadows,
who should have been in Britstown this morning. He lost his way in the
night. I am sending him in to you to explain. I regret that we have
shot one of his horses."

_Brigadier._ "I thought it was a one-sided battle. I don't know which
is the bigger fool, the officer commanding the rear-guard or the youth
who has lost his way in the dark. Did you give him a guide, Mr
Intelligence?"

_Intelligence Officer._ "Yes, sir; I gave him the tame burgher
Stephanus whom we roped in at Richmond Road."

_B._ "Those crimped men are no good. He slipped them in the dark, I
bet. Hullo! here is the boy. His peace of mind, I fancy, wouldn't be
worth much at a public auction."

A smart-looking, though travel-stained, little dragoon subaltern
cantered up, dismounted, and saluted. The brigadier was right; he did
not look particularly happy. There was a moment of silence while the
brigadier took a spoonful of marmalade, then he turned to the boy.

"Well, my pocket Ulysses, what is the extent of your adventure?"

_Meadows._ "Got lost, sir!"

_Brigadier._ "And your guide?"

_M._ "Had to leave him behind, sir!"

_B._ "Which means he left you!"

_M._ "He tried to, sir; but he didn't get far!"

_B._ "What happened?"

_M._ "First he took us wrong--took us back along the road we had come
by. Then when I talked to him he tried to bolt, and I had to shoot
him!"

_B._ (_suddenly becoming interested_) "The devil you did! Have you had
anything to eat? Sit down and have some food. Did you kill him?"

_M._ "No, sir; I left him with that other wounded Boer in the mud hut
near t