.'

'They will put you in prison for life--or perhaps shoot you,' sobbed his
wife. 'Jan! Jan! for love of me stay away!'

But John shook his head, and went on with his preparations for the long
seventy-mile ride to the town. It was a great struggle, for he loved his
home, and knew that very likely he might never see it again; but he felt
he was doing right, and John was not a man to go against his conscience.

It was, however, a melancholy ride, and John felt more down-hearted than
ever before in his life as he entered the market square of Capetown.
Here all was in confusion, burghers were galloping hither and thither,
and every one seemed too busy and excited to notice Colton as he rode
wearily towards the Field Cornet's quarters to give himself up.

At last one man called out as he passed, 'A bad business this, friend! I
little thought to see the red-coats in Capetown in my lifetime.'

'What has happened?' asked Colton, eagerly dismounting from his horse.

'Our burghers have had a battle with the British, but the red-coats
outnumbered them, and General Janssens has retired to Lawry's Pass.
Folks say he will have to make terms at once, or the guns will open on
the town. Anyway, all fighting is at an end for the moment.'

John Colton said nothing, though in his heart he was almost singing for
joy at this unexpected ending of his difficulties. In a few hours it was
known that Capetown had surrendered to the British, and on January 8th,
1806, the 'red-coats' marched in, and John cantered back to his farm,
where he lived hereafter in peace under the British flag.

[Illustration: The Duck-billed Platypus.]

THE DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS.

So far as we know at present, the platypus duck-mole, or water-mole, is
the strangest of all animals. Its home is in Australia, but, owing to
the progress of civilisation, it appears likely to die out before long,
for many of its haunts have been disturbed by the advancing white man.

When the first specimens reached England, dried, the creature puzzled
the naturalists, who were almost inclined to think it was not genuine.
The animal is about twenty inches long, covered with thick soft fur,
which is brown on the back, and white below. The curious muzzle is
lengthened and flattened, much resembling the beak of a duck; its edges
are hard, and at the back part of the mouth are four teeth. But it
cannot grasp anything very firmly with the bill, which shows that its
food must be o