bad as I am. I don't like the fighting, but I'm ready to do my share if
you'll only feed me well. I feel as if I'd been losing flesh for
weeks."

"And done you good," said Lennox seriously. "You were much too fat."

"Look here, Drew," growled the young man addressed; "do you want to
quarrel?"

"Certainly not," was the reply. "I've had quite enough for one day."

Further conversation was prevented by their approach to the village,
which was built at the foot of a precipitous kopje, the spot having been
chosen originally for its fertility consequent upon the fact that a
copious spring of fresh water rose high up among the rocks to form the
little stream and gully at whose mouth the young officers had met with
their fishing experience.

This village, known as Groenfontein, had been held now for nearly two
months by the little force, the idea being that it was to be occupied
for a day at the most, and vacated after the Boers had been driven off.
But though this had been done at once, the enemy had, as Drew Lennox
said, a disgracefully unmilitary way of coming back after they had been
thoroughly beaten. They had come back here after the driving; others
had come to help them from east, west, north, and south, and as soon as
they were strengthened they had set to work to drive the British force
away or capture it _en bloc_; but that was quite another thing.

For, as Dickenson said, the colonel's instructions were to drive and not
be driven. So the Boers were driven as often as there was a chance; and
then, as they kept on returning, the force had to stay, and did so,
getting plenty of opportunities for making fresh drives, till the
colonel felt that it was all labour in vain and waste of time.

Under these circumstances he sent messengers explaining the position and
asking for instructions. But his despatches did not seem to have been
delivered, for no orders came to him, and their bearers did not return.
Consequently, like a sturdy British officer, he fell back upon his first
command to hold the Boers in check at Groenfontein, soon finding that
they held him in check as well, for even had he felt disposed to retire,
it would have been impossible except at the cost of losing half his men;
so he held on and waited for the relief which he felt would sooner or
later come.

But it did not come sooner, and he relied on the later, making the best
of things. Colonel Lindley's way of making the best of things was to