spare blankets. At other times each rider would carry two of the poles
strapped to his valise behind him.

Chris was the first to stir in the morning. There was but the slightest
gleam of daylight in the sky, but he at once blew a whistle that he had
bought that evening in the town, and heads appeared almost immediately
at the entrances of the other tents, and in half a minute all were out,
some alert and ready for business, others yawning and stretching
themselves, according to their dispositions.

"First of all, let's put on the nose-bags, and let the horses have a
meal," Chris said; "then set to work to groom them. Remember, there must
not be a speck of yesterday's dust left anywhere."

All were soon hard at work. The Kaffirs stirred up the embers of the
fire, which they had replenished two or three times during the night,
hung the kettles again over it, and cut up slices of ham ready to fry.
By half-past five Chris, after inspecting all the horses closely,
declared that nothing more could be done to them. Then they were
saddled, the valises, with a day's provisions and a spare blanket, being
strapped on. Then all had a wash, and made themselves, as far as
possible, tidy. By this time breakfast was ready, and they had just
finished their meal when a party of horsemen were seen in the distance.
Rifles were slung over their shoulders, and bandoliers and belts full of
cartridges strapped on, and they donned their forage-caps after coiling
up the picket-ropes and halters and fastening them with their valises to
the saddles. Then they mounted and formed up in line just as the
general, with two of his staff, rode up. After saying a few words to
Chris, the general examined the horses and their riders closely.