nation of the
business."

"Too likely, Mr Dickenson," said the colonel, "for it is undoubtedly
the right one. The misfortune is that the treacherous scoundrels have
got away. Bah! They're worse than savages! Well, let us all be
thankful for our escape. I thought I had taken every precaution I
could, but one never knows. Then you will not have to go into hospital,
Lennox?"

"Oh no, sir; I shall be all right in a few hours."

"And you, Colour-Sergeant James?"

"Beg pardon, sir?" said the blackened non-com, staring.

"I say, and you, _Colour-Sergeant_ James," said the colonel, laying
emphasis on the word colour. "You feel that you need not go into the
infirmary?"

"Feel, sir?" cried the sergeant, drawing himself up as stiff as his
rifle. "Beg pardon, sir, but that's quite cured me. I never felt so
well in my life."

"I am glad of it, my man," said the colonel quietly.--"Yes?" he added as
one of the junior officers came to the door.

"Two men come in from the kopje, sir: a message from the sergeant with
the gun. There's a strong body of the enemy close up between us and the
lines on the slope. The men had to go round a long way before they
could get through."

"I'll come," said the colonel, and he hurried out to make some fresh
arrangements, the effect of which was that as soon as it was light the
action of the Boers was precipitated by a counter-attack, and after an
hour's firing they were driven out of their cover, to run streaming
across the veldt, their flight hastened by a few well-planted shells
from the big gun and the rapid fire of the Maxim which swept the plain.

CHAPTER TEN.

TRACKING THE WAGONS.

Lennox was well enough, when the sun was up, to accompany Dickenson to
the examination of the scene of the explosion, but not in time to
witness the discovery of two bags of unexploded powder, from where they
had been hurled by Colour-Sergeant James, who was on the ground before
it was light, as he explained to the two young officers.

"You were early, sergeant," said Lennox. "Yes, sir; to tell the truth,
I was. You see, I couldn't sleep a wink."

"In so much pain?"

"Well, the back of my head did smart pretty tidy, I must say, sir, and I
couldn't lay flat on my back as I generally do; but it wasn't that,
sir--it was the thought of the step up. Just think of it, sir! Only
been full sergeant two years, and a step up all at once like that."

"Well, you deserved it," said Lennox qui