"Capper and Willesden and Horrocks went yesterday," another lad said.
"Sankey and Holdsworth were on the platform, and no doubt got into
another truck.

"There are seven of us here," Chris said, "and as six have gone on, that
makes thirteen certain, and there are eight more to come. Most of us
will stop at Pietermaritzburg, but I suppose some, whose friends are
going straight home, will go down with them to Durban."

"There will not be many who have to do so," another said. "Sankey's
people and Carmichael's are going to Cape Town, but, so far as I know,
all the others will stay and see it out either at Maritzburg or Durban.
Do you think that we should take any others with us, Chris?"

"I don't think so. You see we all know each other, and it would be a
nuisance having fellows with us of whom we know nothing. They might not
pull with us, while we have been so much together that there is no fear
of our having any disagreement. I think we have all pretty well settled
that it will be much better to act by ourselves, instead of joining any
of the corps that are sure to be formed down there. Still, if we knew
one of the men getting up a corps--and some of our people are pretty
sure to do so--I do think it would be a good plan to join, if they would
accept us as a sort of independent troop, ready to act with them when
there is any big fighting, and to go about on our own account at other
times. You see, none of us will want any pay. We shall all furnish our
own horses and arms, and shall therefore be on a different footing from
men who have to draw pay and be equipped at the public expense; and I
don't see why any officer commanding a troop in one of these corps
should object to our joining him on those terms. But anyhow, I feel sure