he declared, had behaved like an
utter cad. In short Skelsey had proved more implacable than the man
presumably most injured.

"No. Return to your duty at once."

"I'll blow my brains out then, and you'll lose one more man at any
rate."

"Place Corporal Spence under arrest immediately," said the Major
sternly.

"Don't be a fool, Spence," said Blachland kindly. "You'd be more
hindrance than help to me really--and so would any one except Sybrandt,
but we can't take two scouts away at once."

The commanding officer thought so too, and was in a correspondingly bad
humour. But Blachland was far too valuable a man to gainsay in a matter
of this kind, besides, he had a knack of getting his way. Now having
got it, he lost no time in preparations or farewells. He simply
started.

"His contract's too big," said the American, presently. "Guess we've
nearly seen the last of him."

"He'll come through, you'll see," rejoined Sybrandt, confidently.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The while Blachland was riding along the backward track: not quite on
it, but rather above, where possible; scanning every point with
lynx-eyed vigilance. Once a glimpse of something lying across the track
caused his pulses to beat quicker. Cautiously he rode down to it. Only
an old sack dropped during the march. The spoor of the patrol was plain
enough, but he remembered that the missing man suffered from fever, and
had been slightly wounded during the earlier stages of the campaign.
The possibilities were all that he had been overtaken with sudden
faintness and had collapsed, unperceived by the rest--in which case a
lonely and desolate end here in the wilds, even if the more merciful
assegai of the savage did not cut short his lingerings. And he himself
had been too near such an end, deserted and alone, not to know the
horror of it.

No blame whatever was due to the commanding officer in refusing to send
back--indeed he was perfectly right in so doing. The rules of war, like
those of life, are stern and pitiless. For many days the patrol had
fought its way through swarming enemies, and in all probability, would
have to again. Weakened in strength, in supplies, and at this stage,
with ammunition none too plentiful, its leaders could not afford to
weaken it still further, and delay its advance, and risk another
conflict, with the ultimate chance of possible massacre, for the sake of
one