19, Russell Road,
Kensington, W.,
February, 1897.


Aardvark - The great anteater.
Cape Smoke - A very inferior brandy made in Cape Colony.
Kopje - Little hillock.
Kraal - A Kaffir encampment.
Mealies - Maize (corn).
Riem - A thong of undressed leather universally used in South Africa.
Vatje of Old Dop - A little cask of Cape brandy.
Veld - Open Country.




Chapter I.

It was a dark night; a chill breath was coming from the east; not enough to
disturb the blaze of Trooper Peter Halket's fire, yet enough to make it
quiver. He sat alone beside it on the top of a kopje.

All about was an impenetrable darkness; not a star was visible in the black
curve over his head.

He had been travelling with a dozen men who were taking provisions of
mealies and rice to the next camp. He had been sent out to act as scout
along a low range of hills, and had lost his way. Since eight in the
morning he had wandered among long grasses, and ironstone kopjes, and