"Last night was dark as pitch."

"Yes; but there are double lines of sentries about."

"With sharp eyes too; but there was a commando rode out, evidently to patrol the country and look out for our people."

"Yes; I heard them ride away."

"And I heard them come back at daybreak; but I was too lazy to get up."

"I don't see what you are aiming at," said West wearily; "but I suppose you have some good idea--I hope a plausible one."

"I think it is, old lad," said Ingleborough, speaking now in a low whisper. "Suppose when that commando musters after dark--I am supposing that one will go out again to-night--suppose, I say, when it musters we had crept out of the wagon and crawled as far as that one where our ponies are tethered?"

West's hand stole forward to grip his comrade's knee.

"Ah, you're beginning to grasp it!" said Ingleborough. "Then, as I still have my knife, suppose I cut the reins and we mounted."

"And joined the muster?" said West, in a hoa.r.s.e whisper.

"It isn't a dragoon troop, with men answering the roll-call and telling off in fours from the right."

"No, just a crowd!" said West excitedly.

"Exactly! There's only one reason why we shouldn't succeed."

"What's that?"

"We don't look rough and blackguardly enough."

"Oh, Ingle, I quite grasp it now!"

"I've been quite aware of that, old lad, for the last minute--that and something else. I don't know what will have happened when the war is over, but at present I don't wear a wooden leg. Oh, my knee! I didn't think your fingers were made of bone."

"I beg your pardon, old fellow!"

"Don't name it, lad! I'm very glad you have so much energy in you, and proud of my powers of enduring such a vice-like--or say vicious--grip without holloaing out. Next time try your strength on Anson! Why, your fingers would almost go through his fat."

"Ingle, we must try it to-night."

"Or the first opportunity."

"Why didn't you think of that before we lost the despatch?"

"Hah! Why didn't I? Suppose it didn't come!"

West rose and crept to the end of the wagon and looked out.

"The ponies are still there," he whispered, and then he started violently, for a voice at the other end of the wagon cried: "Hallo, you two!"

West turned, with his heart sinking, convinced that the man must have heard.

"I'm just off sentry!" the Boer said good-humouredly. "I must have shaved that Kaffir somewhere and not hurt him much. As soon as I was relieved I went and had a good look for him; but there wasn't so much as a drop of blood."

"Poor wretch!" thought West.

"Lucky for him!" said Ingleborough, in Dutch.

"But I made the beggar drop the jacket," said the Boer, laughing; and, to the delight of the prisoners, he sent it flying into the wagon.

That was all, and the sentry strode away, just as West bounded upon the recovered garment like a tiger upon its prey.

"Say bless him!" whispered Ingleborough.

"Oh, Ingle!" groaned his companion, in a choking voice: "I can feel the despatch quite safe."

"Hah!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Ingleborough.

"And such a little while ago I was ready to curse fate and the very hour I was born!"

"And very wrong of you too, my son!" said Ingleborough, in tones which betrayed some emotion. "Cursing's a very bad habit, and only belongs to times when wicked old men lived in old-fashioned plays and indulged in it upon all kinds of occasions, especially when they had sons and daughters who wanted to marry somebody else."

"Oh, Ingle! Oh, Ingle! The sky doesn't look so covered with black clouds now."

"By no means, my lad! I can see enough blue sky to make a Dutchman a pair of breeches--for Dutchman let's say Boer. I say, what do you say to going out on patrol to-night?"

"Yes, yes, of course! But we have no guns!"

"Nor bandoliers, and that's a fact! Well, it's of no use to think of getting our own back again, even if we said we repented and meant to join the Boers at once."

"They wouldn't trust us!"

"Too slim! Fools if they did!"

"Then it is hopeless!" said West. "Someone would notice it at once!"

"Yes," said Ingleborough, "and those were beautiful rifles too. But look here: I could see a way out of the difficulty, only you are so scrupulous. One mustn't tell a diplomatic fib."

"I can't stand telling an outrageous lie, even under stern necessity!"

said West, pulling down his jacket after putting it on.

"And you are so horribly honest!"

"Yes," said West bitterly. "I have not, as Anson declared, been busy buying illicit-diamonds. But why do you say this--what do you mean?"

"I meant that I'd have risked it as soon as it was dark, and crept away to steal a couple of the Boers' Mausers--just like a cat--mouser after Mauser--I say, what a horrible joke!"

West was silent.