n't wear boots."

"Ah! and do you say these people who came near you wore boots?"

"Well, it sounded like it, sir, for when I fired I could hear the
leather squeak."

"Humph!" grunted Captain Roby; and Dickenson, who was full now of his
adventure in what seemed to have been near the same place, spoke out:

"I think there's something in what he says:" and he related his own
experience. "At the time, I was so occupied in getting back for
something to eat that I forgot all about the matter after dinner. But
now this has occurred I begin to feel that the chirping sounds I heard
really were signals, and that I did hear voices talking together
afterwards."

"Then it must have been Kaffirs sneaking there for water after it was
dark."

"But the footsteps?" said Lennox.

"Well, Kaffirs have feet."

"But not boots," said Lennox quietly.

"I beg your pardon," said the captain warmly; "I could pick out a dozen
of the black hangers-on who have boots which they have obtained from the
men."

Just then an orderly arrived from the colonel to know what Captain Roby
had made out respecting the alarm; and upon a full report being given,
the colonel sent orders for Captain Roby to march his company to the
foot of the kopje, surround it, and thoroughly search it from top to
bottom.

This search was commenced as soon as it was light, the men having been
led to the foot and stationed before day broke; and the arduous task
seemed to be thoroughly enjoyed by the men, who, as they slowly ascended
the rough cone, naturally closed in so that the prospect of missing any
one hiding among the cracks and chasms grew less and less. To the
soldiers it was like a game of hide-and-seek held upon a gigantic scale,
and they shouted to one another in the excitement of the hunt. Every
now and then a rift would be found which promised to be the entrance to
a cavern such as abounded in many of the granite and ironstone piles;
but in every instance, after the men had plunged in boldly with bayonets
fixed, they found the holes empty and were brought up directly, not even
finding a sign of the place having been occupied.

The officers advanced from four different places, but the incurvation of
the mount, and its being only practicable for climbing here and there,
caused Lennox and Dickenson to approach more rapidly than the others;
hence it happened that by the time they were half-way to the top they
were within talking distance, as they kept on