sent the message,
was awarded the distinguished conduct medal. The two brave men who
went out for the bread were Privates Hayes ('A' company) and Townsell
('E' company).

The remainder of our stay at Heidelberg was uneventful except for what
might very easily have been a most unpleasant accident. We were all
seated at lunch one day when there was a sudden and loud report close
at hand. Investigation proved that it came from Captain Pomeroy's
revolver (an officer belonging to a West Indian Regiment who was
attached to us). He had carelessly left it in his tent loaded, while
his servant had still more carelessly fired it off. The only sufferer
was an unfortunate animal, Major Bird's charger, which was shot in the
hoof.

On our departure on the 27th, Major-General Cooper's Brigade took over
the defence of the town.

[Illustration: The Officers' Mess.]

[Illustration: Position at Zuikerbosch. 12 m. below Heidleburg;
attacked on 21st July by 1000 Boers with 4 guns. Defended by 180. 2
R.D.F, 110 Engineers, 10 Yeomen, no guns.

Under Major English 2 R.D.F.

_From a sketch by Col. H. Tempest Hicks, C.B._]

CHAPTER III.

AFTER DE WET.

'It is vain for you to rise up early.'--_Ps._ cxxvii. 2.

Having been for a month at Heidelberg, we had begun to quite make it
our own, and felt as if we should finish the war where we were. And
although there were still any amount of commandoes in the field, we
could scarcely be blamed for thinking that the back of the business
was broken, and that a few weeks, or at the outside months, must see
us returning to England. Well, we reckoned without our host, or rather
the hosts of Messrs. Botha, De Wet, De la Rey, & Co., and if we made a
mistake we made it in good company.

The Colonel had never ceased fortifying and improving Dublin Hill, and
there is no doubt that at the end of July his efforts had resulted in
a very sound and efficient post.

Everything pointed to peace and quiet when, late on the afternoon of
July 27th, the ominous 'order' call broke the stillness of the crisp
wintry evening.

'Come for orders! Come for orders! Hurry up, hurry up; come for
orders!'

Who, that soldiered through those long weary months, but must remember
that infernal call? For it was characteristic of the war, and owing,
doubtless, to the immense tract of country over which it was waged,
that not only the rank and file, but even the officers, with one or
two exceptions, knew little