t's shoulder, and the
Boer who had saluted him so roughly pointed to the wagon, and he saw
that his companion was being treated in the same way, while, the scare
being over, upon their walking back and preparing to climb in, they were
called upon to stop. Naturally the prisoners obeyed, and, turning, they
found the group of Boers in earnest conversation once more with Anson,
who at the end of a few minutes nodded decisively and approached his two
old fellow-clerks, making West's heart begin to thump with excitement
and his eyes gleam, for the despair he felt at the loss he had sustained
made him ready to turn fiercely upon the first enemy who addressed him.

"Take it calmly!" whispered Ingleborough. "Let me diplomatise. You'll
do no good by making a row."

"Take it calmly!" whispered back West, "and at a time like this! I
can't!"

"Look here, you two," said Anson coolly. "Let's have no more bones
about the matter. These gentlemen say they have too much to think about
to bother over any shilly-shallying on the part of a couple of
prisoners. You know it's a good chance, and I've told them you'll both
join along with me. Just tell them out and out you will."

"You miserable renegade, how dare you!" cried West fiercely.

"Here, what does that mean?" cried the Boer commandant sharply.

"Shamming!" replied Anson, with a contemptuous laugh. "They're going to
join us, knowing, as they do, that the game is all up at Kimberley; but
they put on all this make-believe. They want to be able to say that
they were forced to serve, so as to hedge--so as to make it all
comfortable with their consciences, as they call them."

"It is false!" cried West furiously--"a tissue of lies! Don't believe
him; this man is no better than a miserable contemptible thief!"

"What!" shouted Anson, lowering the rifle he carried and taking a step
forward with what was intended to be a fierce aspect.

But he only took one step, being checked suddenly by the action of West,
who, regardless of the weapon, sprang at him, and would have wrenched
away the rifle had he not been seized by a couple of the Boers, who held
him fast.

"Pooh! I don't want to shoot the wretched cad!" said Anson
contemptuously. "An old fellow-clerk of mine! He's savage and jealous
of my position here! He always was an ill-tempered brute!"

"But he says that you are a thief!" said the Boer commandant sternly.

"Pooh! A spiteful man would say anything!" cried A