, to prevent his going away to talk about it.

By the time the above lessons had been well burnt into my brain,
beyond all chance of forgetfulness, a strange thing happened--I had a
fresh dream.

THIRD DREAM.

"So when we take tea with a few guns, o' course you will know
what to do--hoo! hoo!"--KIPLING.

I was at Duffer's Drift on a similar sunny afternoon and under
precisely similar conditions, except that I now had _seven_ lessons
running through my mind.

I at once sent out two patrols, each of one N.C.O. and three men, one
to the north and one to the south. They were to visit all neighboring
farms and kraals and bring in all able-bodied Dutchmen and boys and
male Kaffirs--by persuasion if possible, but by force if necessary.
This would prevent the news of our arrival being carried around to any
adjacent commandoes, and would also assist to solve the labor
question. A small guard was mounted on the top of Waschout Hill as a
look-out.

I decided that as the drift could not get up and run away, it was not
necessary to take up my post or position quite close to it, especially
as such a position would be under close rifle fire from the river
bank, to which the approaches were quite concealed, and which gave
excellent cover. The very worst place for such a position seemed to be
anywhere within the horseshoe bend of the river, as this would allow
an enemy practically to surround it. My choice, therefore, fell on a
spot to which the ground gently rose from the river bank some 700 to
800 yards south of the drift. Here I arranged to dig a trench roughly
facing the front (north) which thus would have about 800 yards clear
ground on its front. We started to make a trench about fifty yards
long for my fifty men, according to the usual rule.

Some little time after beginning, the patrols came in, having
collected three Dutchmen and two boys, and about thirteen Kaffirs. The
former, the leader of whom seemed a man of education and some
importance, were at first inclined to protest when they were given
tools to dig trenches for themselves, showed bundles of "passes," and
talked very big about complaining to the General, and even as to a
question in the "House" about our brutality. This momentarily
staggered me, as I could not help wondering what might happen to poor
B.F. if the member for Upper Tooting should raise the point; but
Westminster was far away, and I hardened my heart. Finally they had
the humo