ore--
a lantern was hanging in front over the driver's box, and it sent a dull
path of light forward on the ground, and I stopped, for I had to cross
that path, and I felt that I must be seen."

"Tut-tut-tut!" clicked Ingleborough.

"But after a few moments I recollected how much my drab brown jacket was
like the soil, and I determined to risk it."

"And crawled on?"

"Yes, but not on my hands and knees. I lay flat on my chest and worked
myself along upon my hands and toes. It was only about a dozen yards
where it was light, but it seemed like a mile."

"Never mind that!" said Ingleborough impatiently. "You did it unheard?"

"Yes; but a man sitting in the wagon suddenly moved when I was half
across, and I was about to spring up, thinking that he was searching for
his rifle."

"Phew!" whistled Ingleborough softly.

"It was well I did not; for directly after, to save getting up and
opening his lantern, the Boer struck a match, and as I lay perfectly
still, fully expecting to be shot, the whole place seemed to be lit up,
and instead of hearing a rifle cocked I smelt a whiff of strong coarse
tobacco, and I felt that I was safe."

"Go on and get it over!" whispered Ingleborough. "You are making my
hands feel wet."

"I lay some time before I dared to move."

"That you didn't, for you weren't gone long."

"Well, it seemed an hour to me: and then I crept on and out of the light
into the black darkness again, rose to my hands and knees, wondering
whether I was going right, and the next minute my hand rubbed softly
against a wagon-wheel, and I knew I was right."

"Bravo!" whispered Ingleborough.

"I rose up directly, and began to feel about carefully for the tilt, and
once more my heart seemed to rise to my mouth, for from under the wagon
there came a dull deep snoring, and I felt it was impossible to do more
for fear of being heard."

"But you made a dash for it?"

"No: I waited to get my breath, for I was just as if I had been running.
But as soon as I could I went on feeling along the edge of the tilt,
and then my heart gave a jump, for my hand touched the barrel of a rifle
and directly after that of another."

"Hurrah!" panted out Ingleborough, and West went on.

"I began to draw the first towards me, but, as soon as I did, to my
horror the other began to move, and I felt that if I kept on the second
one would fall and wake the sleeping Boers. So I reached up with my
other hand, got well hold, and