ll your men not to shoot."

"Come forward," cried Lennox, "and give up your piece."

He stepped towards the spot from whence the voice had come, to see the
crossing lights of the two lanterns centre upon the broad, familiar face
of one of the Boers who had been captured, and who had returned with the
loaded wagons and the powder-bags, of which the last portion had been
secured a short time before.

The man halted, and stood with his rifle presented at the young
officer's breast.

"One man can't fight against a hundred," he growled.

"Only with treachery and deceit," said Lennox sternly. "Give up your
rifle, you cowardly dog."

"Not till you give your English word that I shall not be shot," replied
the Boer.

"I'll give the order for you to be shot down if you don't give up your
piece," cried Lennox angrily.

"You give the word that I shall only be a prisoner, or I'll shoot you
through the heart," cried the Boer harshly.

"I give no word. Surrender unconditionally," cried Lennox, whose blood
was up.

"Give your word, you miserable rooinek!" growled the Boer, whose teeth
shone in the light, giving him the aspect of some fierce beast at bay.
"Give your word. You're covered--your word of honour, or I'll fire."

"Fire!" shouted Captain Roby from behind; but the six men halted before
obeying the ill-judged command. For, in response to the Boer's threat,
Lennox had sprung forward to strike at the presented piece, the edge of
his sword clicking loudly against the barrel of the rifle, turning it
sufficiently aside to disorder the desperate man's aim, so that the
bullet whistled by him and over the heads of his men, before sending a
little shower of granite splinters and dust from the side of the cavern.

Before the Boer could fire again Lennox had him by the throat, and in
another minute he was held up against the cavern wall by three men with
their bayonets, while the sergeant wrested the rifle from his hands and
tore away the man's well-filled bandolier.

"Ah!" he snarled; "cowards again. Always cowards, since the day when
you ran away from us at Majuba."

"Hold your tongue, sir, before you are hurt by some of the men who know
that they have one of the bravo miscreants before them who lay
powder-mines ready to destroy those they dare not fight in the open
field."

"Tell the dog I'll have him gagged as well as bound if he does not keep
his tongue quiet," said Captain Roby, coming up.

The Boer laughed