ook was given to
the preparations already made for the destruction of the camp.

At last, while the long line of captured stores was crawling over the
veldt, and a great number of the other oxen which had wandered off to
graze were, according to their instinct, beginning to follow their
companions as if to make for Groenfontein, the order was given for the
men to fall in ready for the march back.

All was soon in order, and the major turned to Dickenson, who stood
aside with Sergeant James, waiting to perform their dangerous task.

"I was going to appoint four more men to fire the wagons," said the
major, "but with the preparations you have made the flames will spread
rapidly, and you two can very well do it; and as soon as the fire has
taken hold you can light the fuses yonder."

"Men signalling from the top of the kopje," said Captain Edwards.

"That means the enemy in sight," said the major coolly. "Signal to them
to come down."

As the captain turned away to attend to his orders the major held out
his hand to Dickenson.

"Do your work thoroughly," he said gravely, "and then follow as fast as
you can. I will leave pickets behind to cover you."

Dickenson nodded, but said nothing, only stood fingering a box of
matches in his pocket and watching the major hurrying down the
encumbered slope of the kopje to join the men awaiting the order to
march.

"Sentries on the top coming down, sir," growled the sergeant; and
Dickenson nodded again, turning to watch the two men running actively
along and leaping from stone to stone, till they were pretty close to
the drawn-up force, when the bugle rang out, the voices of the officers
were heard, and the retiring party went off at a good swinging march.

Dickenson watched them for a few minutes without a word, while the
sergeant stood with his rifle grounded and his hands resting upon the
muzzle, perfectly calm and soldierly, patiently waiting for his orders,
just as if he and the sergeant were to follow as a sort of rear-guard
instead of to fulfil about as dangerous a task as could fall to the lot
of a man, knowing too, as he did, that the enemy had been signalled as
advancing--a body of men armed with the most deadly and far-reaching
rifles of modern times.

"About time now, sergeant," said Dickenson coolly.

"Yes, sir; 'bout right now, I should think."

"I want them to have a fair start first," continued Dickenson; "and I
can't help feeling a little uneasy about