For five or six miles no signs of the enemy could be perceived. Most of
the fields were entirely deserted, but round a few of the scattered
farmhouses animals could be seen grazing, and these Chris set down as
belonging to Dutch farmers who had no fear of interference by the Boers,
and were prepared to join them as soon as they advanced. Many of these,
indeed, during the past fortnight had trekked north, and were already in
the ranks of the enemy. Presently Chris, who was constantly using his
glasses, saw the flutter of a flag on a hill away to the left, and a
minute later the signal to halt passed along the line. It had been
agreed that signalling by shot should not be attempted unless the enemy
seen were so far distant that they would not be likely to hear.

"What do you see, Brown?" Chris said as he reached the lad who had first
signalled.

"There are a good many men and animals round a farmhouse about two miles
away. The house lies under the shoulder of a hill to the left, I suppose
that that is why the others did not see it."

Dismounting, Chris crawled forward with the other until he could obtain
a view across the country. As Brown had said, the farmhouse stood at the
foot of the line of hills they were crossing, and was fully a mile
nearer to those on the right flank than to the point from which he was
looking at it, but hidden from their view. Bringing his glass to bear
upon it, he could distinctly make out that some forty or fifty men were
moving about, and that a large quantity of cattle were collected near
the house.

"It is certainly a raiding party," he said to his companion. "They are