ence,
till Lennox said huskily, "Will you give me your permission to return to
my quarters, sir?"

"No, Mr Lennox," said the colonel quietly. "Take your places again,
gentlemen.--Captain Roby--Mr Lennox--if we are alive and uninjured in
the morning I will see you both at my quarters with respect to this
painful business. To-night we have other matters to arrange. I have
just received trustworthy information that another reinforcement has
reached the enemy. I have doubled the number of scouts sent out, and as
soon as we have dined we have all our work to do in completing our
arrangements to meet what the Boers intend for their final attack.
Gentlemen, sit down. Our duty to our country first; minor matters of
discipline after."

There was a low buzz of excitement as every man resumed his seat, Roby
alone hesitating, but dropping sharply back into his place in unwilling
obedience to a sharp tug given at his tunic by the officers on either
side.

"What about your promise?" said Lennox in a whisper to Dickenson.

"Hang my promise!" growled his comrade. "Do you take me for a stump?"

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX.

"WHAT A BRICK!"

Every one burst into the hurried flow of conversation that now followed
the colonel's announcement, the excitement growing at the thought of the
dreary siege at last coming to an end, while, to judge from the remarks,
the feeling at the table was one of relief at the prospect of at last
trying final conclusions with the Boers.

"Yes," said Captain Edwards to those near him, "I am heartily glad. Let
them come on and give us a chance of some real fighting. All this
miserable sniping and lurking behind stones has been barbarous. People
say that the Boers are patriotic and brave: let them act like soldiers
and give us a chance."

The conversation grew more and more exciting, till the meagre repast was
at an end, when the colonel rose and walked round to the back of
Dickenson's seat.

"Come to my quarters," he said quietly, and he walked out, followed by
the young subaltern.

The stars were out, shining brightly, and all looked peaceful and grand
as the colonel led on to his hut, with Dickenson stringing himself up
for the encounter he was about to have with his chief, and growing more
and more determined and stubborn as the moment approached.

"I don't care," he said to himself. "I'll tell him I'll challenge Roby,
whether it's allowed or not;" and then he felt as if some one had thro