g watches of that night, with the stars
looking piercingly through the cold, clear air, parties were out,
British and Boer, searching far and wide, and the ambulance-wagons
creaked and rattled with their terrible loads, while Doctor Emden, the
doctors of the relief expedition, and those working for the Boers were
busy till morning.

It was Lennox and his comrade who, being still only invalids, had the
forethought to make their way at sunrise to where the doctor had been
working all the night, and they found him lying utterly exhausted upon
an old greatcoat, fast asleep.

Lennox touched him gently, and he sprang up.

"Yes, all right," he said; "I'll come. How many this time?--Eh? What!
you, my dear boys? Hurt?"

"No, no, doctor; drink this," said Lennox gently, and he held out a
steaming tin.

"Coffee! Eureka!" cried the doctor. "My dear boy, I began to think I
was never to taste the--ha, delicious!--infusion of the berry--again.
Ha! Another? Yes, please. No; wake up and give it to that poor fellow
there. He has been working with me all the night.--That's right," said
the doctor, after seeing his wishes fulfilled. "Ah, it's all very well
for you, my fine fellows, who have the rush and dash and wild excitement
of battle, but it's horrible for us who have all the cold-blooded
horrors afterwards. You have the show and credit too, and the rewards."

"But we have the wounds too, doctor," said Lennox.

"To be sure, my dear boy; to be sure. Don't take any notice of what I
say. I'm worn out. We get our rewards too, in the shape of the brave
fellows' thanks. But if those people at home who shout for war only
knew what it means when the fight is over, they'd alter their tune. But
I say, this day's work ought to bring it to an end."

It did, in the Groenfontein district; and for Colonel Lindley's
battle-scarred, hunger-weakened veterans there came a time of rest and
peace.

By way of postscript to this narrative of South African adventure, here
is the letter received from Mark Roby by Drew Lennox soon after the
voyage home and the ovation which he and his comrades had received in
their march through London streets:

My Dear Lennox,--I have just seen the _Gazette_, and am of course
delighted to find the word "Major" prefixed to my name. I do not write
out of vanity; it is from the sincere desire to be one of the first to
congratulate my brave old companion in arms, Drew Lennox, V.C. Bravo!
You deserved