"That might be so; therefore we had better fix on three shots in quick
succession, followed in ten seconds by a fourth. The sound will be
sufficient to let you know pretty well where I am, and you will on
hearing it, join me at once. Are there any other suggestions?"

There was silence and then the books were closed.

"I cannot too strongly impress upon you all," Chris said, after they had
chatted for some time, "the necessity for being extremely cautious. We
know how slim the Boers are, and how accustomed they are to stalk game;
and we shall have to be as watchful as deer, more so, in fact, since we
have not their power of smell. When we break up into four parties, each
party must scatter, keeping three or four hundred yards apart. On
arriving at any swell or the crest of a hill, a halt must be made, and
every foot of the country searched by your field glasses, no matter how
long it takes. You must assure yourself that there are no moving objects
in sight. When you get near such a point you must dismount, and, leaving
your horse, crawl forward until you reach a point from where you have a
good view, and on no account stand up. While you are making your
observations any Boers who might be lying in sight would be certain to
notice a figure against the skyline, and we know that many of them are
provided with glasses as good as our own. We must be as careful as if we
were out after game instead of men. You all know these things as well as
I do, but I want to impress them upon you. You see, they have captured
five of the Natal police, who are a very sharp set of fellows. However,
a few days' scouting will show us far better what is required than any
amount of thinking beforehand. There is one thing that I want to say to
you. You elected me for your leader, but it is quite probable that when
we have worked together for a bit some of you may prove much better
qualified for the post than I am. What I want to say now is, if this is