"Certainly you were. We heard that there had been a skirmish on the
road, and learned the particulars from one of those who took part in it,
and who stayed here for two or three days before going down the country.
He said that four or five young gentlemen, who were coming down with a
party of women and children from Volksrust, had gone to a farmhouse to
try and get food, milk, and bread for the females. The Boer farmer
insulted them, and shot at one of them when but two or three yards away;
he had been tremendously thrashed by the young fellow, and they returned
laden with a good supply of milk and bread, and twelve rifles and a lot
of ammunition that they had found at the farm. And with these they and
some of the men had beaten off an attack of a score of Boers without any
loss to themselves."

"Yes, general, that was our party; we had sent forward for some waggons,
and got into Dundee two hours after the skirmish; and as there was a
train just going we went on at once, and reached Maritzburg the next
morning, where we were joined by some of our party who had come down the
day before. As we had made all our plans before leaving Johannesburg, we
were able to start this morning, which was the third after our arrival
there."

"You were prompt indeed," the general said with a smile, "and must have
needed money as well as brains."

"We had all obtained leave of our families, general, and were well
provided with funds to carry us through the campaign if it lasts for a
year. We wanted to be in time for the first fight."

"I think yours was the first fight, except that a few shots were