them and a great deal easier for us. I saw lots of soldiers using theirs
in the same way." "Are you sure you will be able to sit your horses down
to Ladysmith?" Chris asked Brown, Capper, and Harris, the three wounded.

All laughed. "One would think that we were babies, Chris," Harris said.
"We could ride to Maritzburg if necessary, though I feel my arm rather
stiff, and no doubt it will be stiffer still to-morrow. I felt a bit
miserable at sunrise after lying there shivering, and envied you fellows
who could keep yourselves warm by working; but I am beginning to thaw
out now, and the sight of the Kaffirs coming towards us with the horses
half an hour ago, and the thought of hot coffee, did even more than the
sun to warm me."

"It will be ready soon," Willesden, who was specially in charge of the
stores, said. "It was a capital idea bringing that large spirit stove
and the paraffin with us; even a native could not find any dry sticks
this morning."

"Except as the soldiers have done," Chris said, pointing to where, a
quarter of a mile from the spot where they had gathered, a dozen fires
were blazing, the soldiers having utilized some of the Boer waggons that
had been smashed by the shell for the purpose of firewood.

"Yes, but if we were by ourselves, Chris, there would be no broken
waggons; besides, after all I should not care to go down and scramble
with the soldiers for a place to put a kettle on. At any rate, the stove
will be invaluable out on the veldt."

"We all agree with you, Willesden," Peters said, "and it was because you
were the one who suggested it that we promoted you to the office of