e slipped."

"Yes, that was I," said Dickenson; "but there was a chirp. Did you hear
that?"

"Oh yes, I heard that, sir; and another one answered it."

"And then there was talking."

"Oh no, sir, I heard no talking. Sound like a bird; but I think it's a
little guinea-piggy sort of thing. I believe they live in holes like
rats, and come out and call to one another in the dark."

"Well, perhaps it may be; but keep a sharp lookout."

"I'll keep my ears well open, sir," said the man; "there's no seeing
anything in a night like this."

The sentry was able to put his visitor in the right direction, and
Dickenson went on, forgetting the incident and wondering how Lennox was
getting on; then about what the colonel would say to his ill-success;
and lastly, the needs of his being filled up all his thoughts, making
him wonder what he should get from the mess in order to satisfy the
ravenous hunger that troubled him after his long abstinence.

He reached the square at last, but not without being challenged three
times over. Then making his way to the colonel's patched-up quarters,
he was just in time to meet the patrol coming into the opening, their
leader going straight to the mess-room, where the officers were
gathered.

"Any luck?" said Dickenson. "I was on the lookout for you up yonder
till I couldn't see."

"Yes, and no," said the officer. "Come on and you'll hear."

Dickenson followed his companion into the long, dreary-looking,
ill-lighted barn, where they were both warmly welcomed; and the officer
announced that he had gone as near the Boers' laagers as he could,
drawing fire each time; but he had not been able to either overtake or
trace the plotters till close upon evening, when on the return. They
had found a sign, but there was so much crossing and recrossing that the
best of scouts could have made nothing of it; and he concluded that the
party he sought had got well away, when all at once they came upon the
undoubted spoor of the two teams of oxen, followed it into the bush, and
just at dusk came upon the two wagons in a bush-like patch among the
trees.

"And what had the men to say for themselves?" said the colonel eagerly.

"The men had gone, sir," said the officer.

"Ah! Bolted at the sight of you?"

"Oh no, sir; they were gone."

"What! and left the wagons?"

"Yes, sir; they had left the wagons, but they had carried off the
teams."

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

THE COLONEL'S PLANS.

The