your residential passes."

His comrade fumbled in his pockets and produced his, but Mr. Naude
fumbled in vain. He had no pass.

He shook his head. His smile became more inane. He muttered hoarsely:

"Can't find it. Must have lost it last night. We have been on the
booze, old man."

"I can see _that_," the watch replied and signed to them to pass on.

That their reappearance caused a stir amongst their relatives and
friends can easily be understood, and it was found necessary to keep
them in hiding. The beadle had been missed from his post, and it was
an open secret among his friends and certainly not unknown to the
enemy, that he had made a dash for liberty. Under the circumstances he
could not remain in Pretoria long, and after a few days of more spying
from the church tower he made a second attempt in a different
direction, with a comrade of the name of Coetzee, the first man having
had enough of the dangerous game. This time their enterprise was
crowned with success, and they were able to join a Boer commando under
General Louis Botha, but not before they had gone through an adventure
which might have cost them their lives.

They were captured by the Boers under Acting Commandant Badenhorst and
detained as British spies, all protestations of their innocence
proving futile, until Mr. Naude informed the Commandant that he had
with him dispatches for General Botha.

Commandant Badenhorst demanded to see them.

He refused, saying that they were private documents for the
Commandant-General, and that he was not at liberty to deliver them to
any one else.

His word was accepted, and he was sent to the High Veld with a guard
of men on foot to escort him to the General.

The want of horses proved to be a serious drawback and hardship to
these men, so they determined to provide themselves with horses, of
the very best, and appointed Mr. Naude as their leader.

Instead of proceeding straight to the High Veld, these enterprising
and resourceful young fellows retraced their steps to the vicinity of
the Pretoria West Station, where Mr. Naude knew that the enemy kept a
number of magnificent horses for the use of officers only.

With infinite caution they approached the spot, keeping under cover
until they were well within rifle-range of the men on guard. The
movements of the latter were stealthily watched, and it was observed
that the guard, consisting of two men, well armed, walked up and down
before the stables in