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
the case, I shall feel in no way aggrieved, and shall serve just as
cheerfully under his orders as I hope you will under mine so long as I
command you."
There was a general chorus of "No fear of that, Chris. We all know you
well enough to be sure that we have made a good choice.
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