The artillery would first crush
that of the British, then they would charge down and finish the affair.
"They say that they have less than four thousand altogether," one said.
"We are as many, and, as everyone knows, one Boer is a match for any
three rooineks. It will not be a fight, it will be slaughter. We shall
stop a day to gather the plunder and send it off in the waggons, then we
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.
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