direction."

"Yes; a party of our cavalry under French came up with a battery of
field artillery. There was a little skirmishing, but in the evening the
Boers were strongly reinforced, and our cavalry returned to Ladysmith.
It was only a reconnaissance to ascertain the general situation. To-day
we are stronger. Squadrons of the 5th Dragoon Guards, 5th Lancers, the
Natal mounted, battery, and several detachments of mounted volunteers,
including the Imperial Light Horse, and half the Manchester Regiment,
are coming up in an armoured train. I suppose you are not attached to
any other corps?"

"Yes; we form a section of Captain Brookfield's corps of Maritzburg
Scouts. As you see, we are not in uniform; it being thought that, as we
are all from Johannesburg, and speak Dutch and Kaffir, we should be of
more use for scouting if able to appear as Boers."

"A very good idea," the officer said, "but somewhat dangerous; for if
they caught you they would assuredly shoot you as spies."

"We don't mean to be caught if we can help it, as you see we are very
well mounted."

"Uncommonly well. Brookfield's subscriptions must have come in
handsomely for him to be able to buy such horses as those."

"We provide our own mounts and equipments," Chris said, "and consider
ourselves very lucky in getting hold of this batch of horses from Mr.
Duncan on the day he arrived at Maritzburg. I really think they were
very cheap at sixty pounds each."