first battle," Chris laughed.

"But for you there would not have been any battle at all," Field said.
"I don't think any of us would have gone forward after that fellow
warned us back had you not done so."

"I was determined to get some milk for the children," Chris said, "and
would have gone forward even if I had been alone. I don't think I ever
felt such a satisfaction as I did in thrashing that Boer. One of them
struck my mother across the face, you know, in the train, and though it
was not the same man, I feel better now that I have taken it out of
someone."

At Newcastle they found a small British force, and learned that there
were four or five thousand troops at Dundee. Trains were still running,
and after only an hour's delay at Newcastle to obtain a meal, the whole
party went on. Late that evening they arrived at Colenso. Mrs. King and
the ladies and gentlemen of the party had decided to sleep there, but
hearing on the road that the little town was crowded with fugitives from
the Transvaal and the farms near the frontier, they determined to
continue the journey to the capital, which they reached the next
morning. The lads had quite decided upon their course before starting,
and had arranged with their parents to remain at Maritzburg. The general
opinion was that the British force at the front could not possibly
maintain itself, but that as soon as the invasion began in force they
must fall back, as the Transvaal Boers would be able to attack them in
front and on the right flank, while the Free Staters would pour down
through Van Reenen and De Beers Passes and make straight for Ladysmith,
and so threaten their line of retreat.