"Well, Chris," he said cordially as he entered, "I am glad to see you.
You have grown and widened out a good deal since last year. I suppose
your father and mother have both come down with you?"

"My mother has come down, sir, but my father thought that he ought to
remain behind to look after the mines."

"Have you come here to enlist?"

"Not exactly, sir, and yet I have to a certain extent;" and he told the
officer of the little corps that had been formed among his companions at
Johannesburg.

"A very good idea. Speaking Dutch, as you say they all do, they ought to
do good service as scouts. But why have you come to me?"

This Chris explained.

The captain laughed. "I suppose the fact is, Chris, you think that you
will be able to see and do more if you are altogether independent of
other people's orders."

"Perhaps that is it, sir; but if there is any cavalry fighting we should
much rather be under orders. Such a small corps would look ridiculous
marching out by itself."

"Well, I don't see any reason why you should not carry out your plan. It
would certainly be better that you should have some--what I may call--
official sanction. All the men in our corps are paid five shillings a
day, and as your troop would serve under different conditions, you can