_Brown-faced man._ No. Field-cornet was a good old fellow and an old
friend of mine, and he gave me the hint--

_Thin-faced man._ Not much like ours! Why, there's a lady staying here
that's friendly with his daughters, and she went out to see them the
other day, and the old man said they'd stop here and sjam--

_Fat man._ Gentlemen, drinks all round! Here's success to the British
arms!

_All._ Success to the British arms!

_Thick-set man._ And may the British Government not desert us again!

_Fat man._ I'll take a shade of odds about it. They will. I've no trust
in Chamberlain. It'll be just the same as it was in '81. A few reverses
and you'll find they'll begin to talk about terms. I know them. Every
loyal man in South Africa knows them. (_General murmur of assent._)

_Hotel-keeper._ Gentlemen, drinks all round! Here's success to the
British arms!

_All._ Success to the British arms!

_Thick-set man._ And where are the British arms? Where's the Army Corps?
Has a man of that Army Corps left England? Shilly-shally, as usual.
South Africa's no place for an Englishman to live in. Armoured train
blown up, Mafeking cut off, Kimberley in danger, and General
Butler--what? Oh yes--General Buller leaves England to-day. Why didna