lk. If we do get the despatch through there will
be some praise earned, but at present we've done nothing."

"And we're both dreadfully modest, sir," said Ingleborough.

"Bah! you're not great girls," cried the director. "But you are not off
yet, and you can't walk."

"No, sir," said West; "we are in search of horses--good ones that we can
trust to hold out."

"Very well; why don't you go to someone who has been buying up horses
for our mounted men?"

"Because we don't know of any such person," said West. "Do you?"

"To be sure I do, my lad, and here he is."

"You, sir?" cried Ingleborough excitedly. "Why, of course; I heard that
you were, and forgot in all the bustle and excitement of the coming
siege. Then you can let us have two? The Commandant will give an order
for the payment."

"Hang the Commandant's payments!" cried the director testily. "When
young fellows like you are ready to give their lives in the Queen's
service, do you think men like we are can't afford to mount them? Come
along with me, and you shall have the pick of the sturdy cob ponies I
have. They're rough, and almost unbroken--what sort of horsemen are
you?"

"Very bad, sir," replied Ingleborough: "no style at all. We ride
astride though."

"Well, so I suppose," said the director, laughing, "and with your faces
to the nag's head. If you tell me you look towards the tail I shall not
believe you. But seriously, can you stick on a horse tightly when at
full gallop?"

"Oliver West can, sir," replied Ingleborough. "He's a regular centaur
foal."

"Nonsense! Don't flatter," cried West. "I can ride a bit, sir; but
Ingleborough rides as if he were part of a horse. He's accustomed to
taking long rides across the veldt every morning."

"Oh, we can ride, sir," said Ingleborough coolly; "but whether we can
ride well enough to distance the Boers has to be proved."

"I'll mount you, my boys, on such a pair of ponies as the Boers haven't
amongst them," said the director warmly. "Do you know my stables--the
rough ones and enclosure I have had made?"

"We heard something about the new stabling near the mine, sir," said
West; "but we've been too busy to pay much heed."

"Come and pay heed now, then."

The speaker led the way towards the great mine buildings, and halted at
a gate in a newly set-up fence of corrugated-iron, passing through which
their eyes were gladdened by the sight of about a dozen of the rough,
sturdy little co