se my glass and watch the stubborn brutes coming
on."

"Same here. I've had six shots at 'em, and then I handed the rifle back
to the Tommy who lent it to me."

"How many times did you hit?" asked Lennox.

Dickenson looked round to see if either of the men could hear him, and
then he whispered softly, "Not once."

Lennox took no notice, for he was resting his field-glass upon the rough
top of the stone wall, looking outward over the veldt.

"Well, didn't you hear what I said?"

"Yes. Don't worry," replied Lennox shortly. "Here, quick!" he cried
excitedly. "Take your glass and look straight away yonder to the left
of the laager we took."

"Eh? Yes! All right. I see. Here, send word to the chief. They're
coming on fast now; three clouds of them. Reinforcements. Why don't
those fellows make the big gun begin to talk?"

"Because they can see what I can, Bob," cried Lennox joyously. "Look
again. Lance-tips glittering in the sun. Our men. Hurrah! Strong
bodies of cavalry. Why, Bob, they'll catch the enemy in the open now.
The siege is up. Hush! Don't shout."

"Why, man? It will encourage the lads."

"And warn the enemy that help is coming. Five minutes more ignorance
will be worth anything to the relief force. I'll go to the chief at
once."

There was no need. Almost at that moment the colonel had caught sight
of the lance-tips through his glass; but quite ten minutes more--minutes
crowded with excitement--elapsed before the attacking party were aware
of the danger in their rear, and then came the terrible reverse. Boers
began running back to where their ponies were being held out of
rifle-shot, but running in vain, for the British cavalry were there
first, spurring their steeds and stampeding the ponies, sending them in
all directions prior to charging through and through the retreating
parties, and keeping up the pursuit until recalled.

Others of the relief force had meanwhile been aiming at the three
laagers, into which the infantry dashed, the first warning of this
received at the kopje being through the cessation of the shelling, for
the guns were either silenced or put out of action, the whole of the
Boer force literally melting away.

It was one of the most brilliant episodes of the war; and that night,
the supplies having come up, the relief party were hoarse with cheering
the men whom they dubbed British heroes, and all was festivity and joy.

No, not all; for during the lon