ply seemed to be unanswerable, and Dickenson merely uttered a
grunt, just as Captain Roby and his men marched up to form an escort for
the little convoy.

"Well, commandant?" he said.

The Boer grunted. "Not commandant," he said; "field-cornet."

"Very well, field-cornet; how did you manage to get here?"

"'Cross the veldt," growled the man.

"Didn't you see any of your friends?"

"No," grumbled the Boer. "If we had we shouldn't be here. Have you got
the money for what we've got?"

"No."

"Stop, then. We're not going on."

"But you must now. The colonel will give you an order."

"Paper?" said the Boer sharply.

"Yes."

"Then we don't go."

"Yes, you do, my obstinate friend. It will be an order to an official
here, and he'll pay you a fair price at once--in gold."

"My price?"

"Oh, that I can't say," replied the captain. "But I promise you will be
fairly dealt with."

The Boer put his burning pipe in his pocket, snatched off his battered
slouch felt hat, and gave his shaggy head an angry rub, looking round at
his companions as if for support, and then staring back at the way they
had come, to see lanterns gleaming and the glint of bayonets dimly here
and there, plainly showing him that retreat was out of the question.
Then, like some bear at bay, he uttered what sounded like a low growl,
though in fact it was only a remark to the man nearest to him, a similar
growl coming in reply.

"Come, sir, no nonsense," said the captain sternly. "You have come to
sell, I suppose?"

"I shouldn't be here if I hadn't," growled the Boer.

"Then come along. You cannot go back now. I have told you that you
will be well treated. Please to recollect that if our colonel chose he
could commando everything you have brought for the use of our force; but
he prefers to treat all of your people who bring supplies as
straightforward traders. Now come along."

The Boer grunted, glanced back once more, and at last, as if he had
thoroughly grasped his position, said a few words to his nearest
companions and passed the word to trek, when, in answer to the crack of
the huge whip, the bullocks sprang to their places along the trek-tows,
the wagons creaked and groaned, and the little convoy was escorted into
the market-place, where, as soon as we saw him, the field-cornet made
for the colonel's side and began like one with a grievance.

But the amount of cash to be paid was soon settled, and the Boer's
objections