With Steyn and De Wet by Philip Pienaar
page 73 of 131 (55%)
page 73 of 131 (55%)
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signals only to come through. I listened intently to the various more or
less interesting messages being exchanged by the enemy. Presently a new and stronger note broke in-- "Hello! Here, Sergeant-Major Devons. Who are you?" Devons? Those are the fellows that we fought at Ladysmith. But what--how comes he here? Listen---- "Here, Heilbron. We're just waiting to leave. Crowds of Boers on the hills." "Ah! I say, I've pushed on, quite by myself, for fully twelve miles," said the hoarse note of the non-com.'s vibrator. "When I reached Roberts' Horse the chief said I was d----d lucky to get through!" "Good on you!" replied his admiring hearer. "This is a bit different from old Tyneside, ain't it?" "Cheer up; we shall soon be in Pretoria." "Confound you!" said I, dashing my fist on the key, "you're not there yet!" To prevent myself from interrupting them, advertently or otherwise, I had taken the precaution to disconnect the battery, so my little outbreak did no harm. Then the sergeant-major sent a long message to his chief, Captain Faustnett, duly informing the latter of the distance he had come, all by |
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