-place their prison. You are right. That would not do at all.--
Roby, you must have your prisoners placed in the safest hut that you can
find, and let a sentry share their prison, for they must never be left
alone. Now, gentlemen: bed."

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

THE LOST MAN.

"Yes, sir, I'm very sorry, and feel that it's a great disgrace," said
Colour-Sergeant James.

"Sorry!" said Captain Roby contemptuously.

"It's all I can be, sir," said the sergeant sadly. "I'm not going to
defend myself."

"But how could you miss him when the roll was called?"

"I don't know, sir. I suppose it was all due to the excitement and
being fagged out with what we'd gone through in that black hole."

"Black hole!" cried Roby. "You deserve the Black Hole yourself,
sergeant."

"Yes, sir. I thought he answered, but the poor fellow must have lost
his way somehow, and have got left behind."

"It's horrible," cried Roby. "I don't know what's to be done."

"Go in search of the poor fellow at once. It's enough to send a man out
of his mind," broke in Lennox impatiently.

"I did not ask you for your opinion, Mr Lennox," said the captain
coldly.--"Here, James, come with me to the colonel at once."

"Yes, sir," said the sergeant, and he followed his superior.

"What nonsense!" cried Dickenson. "Here, Drew, old man, let's go on up
to the hole at once with half-a-dozen men and lanterns."

"That's what I wanted to do," said Lennox bitterly; "but I suppose it
would be going against discipline."

"Going against your grandmother! Hesitate, when the poor fellow may be
dying of fright? He is rather a chicken-hearted sort of a customer."

"So would you be if you lost yourself in that dismal hole."

"True, oh king! I should sit down in a fit of the horrors, and howl for
my mother till I cried myself to sleep."

"No, you wouldn't, Bob. But old Roby does make me set up my bristles
sometimes. I don't know what's come to him lately."

"I know what I should like to see come to him."

"What?"

"A good licking."

"Yes, to be followed by court-martial."

"Not if a Boer did it," said Dickenson, chuckling.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Thoughts, dear boy. Only thinking of what a lark it would be if he
began bullying one of our prisoners--say Blackbeard--and the savage old
Boer slipped into him with his fists. I shouldn't hurry to help him
more than I could help."

"Don't humbug," said Lennox.

"I tell you I shouldn't