hands!" yelled Ingleborough, and glass and hat were thrust on high.

It was only just in time, the officer raising his sword as he reined up
by West and caught his arm.

"Hallo!" he roared, as his men surrounded the pair with lances at their
breasts; "who are you?"

"Despatch-riders--Mafeking to Kimberley," cried West.

"Where are your despatches then?" cried the officer sharply.

"Here!" cried West.

"Yah!" cried the young officer. "I thought I'd caught two Boer generals
directing the fight. What a jolly sell!"

"You've got something better among you!" said Ingleborough, joining in
the laugh which rose among the men.

"Have we? What?"

"There are four heavy guns yonder, and a tremendous wagon train."

At that moment trumpet after trumpet rang out, and the men burst into a
wild cheer, for the mounted Boers were scattering in all directions,
flying for their lives, and it was plain enough that a tremendous blow
had been inflicted upon a very strong force, the capture of the convoy
being complete, and those in charge who had not succeeded in reaching
their horses readily throwing down their arms.

"We'll, we've whipped!" said the young officer of Lancers, taking off
his helmet to wipe his streaming face. "They can't find fault with us
at home for this, my lads! Here, open out; we must join in driving
these ragged rascals back on the centre. Here, you two," he cried,
turning to West and his companion, "I must take you both in to my chief,
for I don't know that I ought to take your bare word."

"Well, I don't think there's much of the Dopper about either of us."

"No," said the officer, "but the Boers have got the scum of Europe and
America with them, and you may be two little bits."

"Want our rifles?" said West coolly.

"No; but don't try to bolt, either of you: it would be dangerous. My
boys are rather handy with the lance!"

"So I see!" said West, glancing at the points glistening at the tops of
the bamboo shafts, several of which looked unpleasantly red.

"And so I felt," said Ingleborough grimly, "for one of them pressed my
ribs."

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

DOWN BY THE SPRUIT.

The trumpets were ringing out again to call the various parts of the
force together, a couple of regiments being sent in pursuit of the only
body of the defeated Boers which showed any cohesion, the greater part
of those who had reached their horses and escaped doing this to a great
extent singly, and the rest of