ut kept by the police."

"But I should have thought that the licences and the strict supervision
would have checked the greater part of it."

"Then you'd have thought wrong, my boy. I wish it did, for as we are
going on now it makes everyone suspicious and on the look-out. I
declare that for months past I never meet any of our people without
fancying they suspect me of buying and selling diamonds on the sly."

"And that makes you suspicious too," said West quietly.

Ingleborough turned upon him sharply, and looked him through and
through.

"What made you say that?" he said at last.

"Previous conversation," replied West.

"Humph! Well, perhaps so."

CHAPTER FOUR.

RUMOURS OF WAR.

The Diamond-Fields Horse had drilled one evening till they were tired,
and after it was all over, including a fair amount of firing, the smell
of blank cartridges began to give way to the more pleasant odour of
tobacco smoke, the officers lighting their cigars, and the privates
filling up their pipes to incense the crisp evening air.

"I'm about tired of this game," said one of a group who were chatting
together; "there's too much hard work about it."

"Yes," said another. "Someone told me it was playing at soldiers. I
don't see where the play comes."

"Look at the honour of it," said another. "We shall be defending the
town directly from an attack by the Boers."

There was a burst of laughter at this, and when it ended the first
speaker broke out contemptuously with: "The Boers! We shall have to
wait a longtime before they attack us."

"I don't know so much about that," said the man who had spoken of the
attack. "I believe they mean mischief."

"Bosh!" came in chorus.

"Ah, you may laugh, but they've got Majuba Hill on the brain. The
idiots think they fought and thrashed the whole British Army instead of
a few hundred men. Here, Ingleborough, you heard what was said?"

The young man addressed left off chatting with West and nodded.

"You went to Pretoria with the superintendent of police about that
diamond case, and you were there a couple of months."

"Yes," said Ingleborough. "What of that?"

"Why, you must have seen a good deal of the Boers then!"

"Of course I did."

"Well, what do you say? Will they fight if it comes to a row?"

"Certainly they will!" replied Ingleborough.

There was a derisive laugh at his words, and West flushed a little on
hearing it, as the volunteers gathered round.