ecessary now to turn our attention to the second train, which
conveyed most of the regiment, under command of Major Bird. Some forty
men with their arms and accoutrements were told off to each open
truck, necessitating the tightest packing, which, however, had a
beneficial effect in so far as it took off the worst part of the
constant succession of jerks and jolts which the journey consisted of.
But everybody was full of fun, and the men as merry as crickets at the
change from the long days of uninteresting 'foot-slogging' and the
prospect of a brush with the elusive De Wet.

The officers--about twenty in number--travelled in the guard's van, on
the floor of which they made themselves as comfortable as possible
under the circumstances.

[Illustration: Fourth Class on the Z.A.S.M.]

After passing Vereeniging and duly admiring the excellent work of the
sappers, the mess-president proposed that they should sample the
hampers he had provided for them. This was carried unanimously, but at
that moment the train began to slow up, and, anxious to see every new
place, we determined to wait until the train started again, and then
enjoy our dinner in peace and comfort.

The sudden explosion of a shell from 'Long Tom' in our midst could not
have had a more demoralising effect than the news which greeted us
when we came to a standstill. It arrived in the shape of a telegram
from the General, ordering the officers to ride in the trucks with the
men, and to keep a sharp look-out for attacks from both sides. So
there was no chance of any dinners after all, and all our visions of
chicken and tongue, whisky and sparklets, and a hot cup of tea or
chocolate resolved themselves into a lump of chocolate out of one's
haversack and a pull at one's water-bottle. The mess-president proved
himself a man of resource on this trying occasion. With hunger gnawing
at his vitals he saw a beautiful dinner laid out in a waiting-room for
some staff officers. Unable to satisfy his comrades he saw no reason
why he himself should go unsatisfied, and in the three or four minutes
occupied by the engine in watering he hastily bolted a fine plate of
roast beef and potatoes, not omitting a bottle of beer standing hard
by, and jumped into the train at the last moment, thanking his
astonished host and friend, Major Hickie of the 7th Fusiliers, as the
train moved off into the darkness.

Anything more cheerless than the remainder of that night journey it
would