shall go south and destroy the force at Ladysmith. Three days later we
shall be in Maritzburg, and within three or four days afterwards shall
drive the British on board their ships at Durban. We shall get grand
plunder there and at Maritzburg. But I think it is time now to take a
hand at building up that wall along the front. Ebers' commando have been
at it for three hours, and it is our turn now."

[Illustration: CHRIS AND HIS COMPANIONS SCOUTING.]

There was a general movement, which was accelerated by a sharp order,
and a minute later Horrocks and Chris again came together and moved on
with the others. Three hundred yards farther they came upon six guns,
beyond which a number of men were at work carrying and placing great
stones to form a rough wall. These left off their work as soon as the
party arrived. Having now seen all that was necessary, the two lads
joined them and returned with them down the hill. The others threw
themselves down near their horses, but Chris and his companion went on.
Through the huge gathering of waggons they made their way with great
difficulty, Chris giving a low whistle occasionally. At last they were
through the camp. Jack was standing by the horses, and Peters and Field
at once rose to their feet. Without a word they mounted, and rode
without speaking till they were some little distance from the waggons.

"You are back earlier than I expected," Field said. "You have been gone
scarcely an hour."

"No; the only difficulty we had was making our way through the mass of
waggons and animals all mixed up higgledy-piggledy, and there has been
no more excitement than if we had been walking through Dundee. We have
got all we wanted to know. Their strength is about four thousand. They