nt brows, a
half-humourous, half-menacing expression on his face.

"A windbag; a coward; a man without a heart for good or for evil. Bah!
nephew, that is Hans Coetzee. I have known him for years. Well, let him
go. He would sell us if he could, but I have frightened him now, and,
what is more, if I see reason, he shall find I never bark unless I mean
to bite. Well, enough of him. Let me see, have I thanked you yet for
your share in Majuba? Ah! that was a glorious victory! How many were
there of you when you started up the mountain?"

"Eighty men."

"And how many at the end?"

"One hundred and seventy--perhaps a few more."

"And how many of you were hit?"

"Three--one killed, two wounded, and a few scratches."

"Wonderful, wonderful! It was a brave deed, and because it was so brave
it was successful. He must have been mad, that English general. Who shot
him?"

"Breytenbach. Colley held up a white handkerchief in his hand, and
Breytenbach fired, and down went the general of a heap, and then they
all ran helter-skelter down the hill. Yes, it was a wonderful thing!
They could have beat us back with their left hand. That is what comes of
having a righteous cause, uncle."

The general smiled grimly. "That is what comes of having men who can
shoot, and who understand the country, and are not afraid. Well, it
is done, and well done. The stars in their courses have fought for us,
Frank Muller, and so far we have conquered. But how is it to end? You
are no fool; tell me, how will it end?"

Frank Muller rose and walked twice up and down the room before he
answered. "Shall I tell you?" he asked, and then, without waiting for
a reply, went on: "It will end in our getting the country back. That is
what this armistice means. There are thousands of _rooibaatjes_ there at
the Nek; they cannot therefore be waiting for soldiers. They are waiting
for an opportunity to yield, uncle. We shall get the country back, and
you will be President of the Republic."

The old man took a pull at his pipe. "You have a long head, Frank, and
it has not run away with you. The English Government is going to give
in. The stars in their courses continue to fight for us. The English
Government is as mad as its officers. They will give in. But it means
more than that, Frank; I will tell you what it means. It means"--and
again he let his heavy hand fall upon the deal table--"the triumph of
the Boer throughout South Africa. Bah! Burgers was not such