The
Boers seem to have forgotten that, for it is quite out of the direct
line, and nearly double as far round. Well, as we had no orders to come
here, I suppose there is no occasion to get orders to go back. I think
Peters's proposal is a very good one, but on a point like this everyone
ought to give an opinion. My view is that we might be a great deal more
useful there than here, and that if we stop we shall run a great chance
of being captured. I think that it would be a fair thing to put it to
the vote."
He took two or three leaves out of his pocket-book, and tore them up
into narrow slips of paper.
"Now," he said, "write 'Yes' if you are in favour of going back, 'No' if
you are for stopping here. Drop them into my cap and the majority shall
decide."
When the strips of paper were examined, it was found that only two out
of the twenty-one were in favour of remaining.
"That settles it," Chris said. "It is thirty miles down to Elandslaagte
by road, and as from here to Glencoe is five miles, and we are no nearer
there than we are here, by cutting across to Waschbrank we shall have
only five-and-twenty miles to ride. It is well that we should get there
as early as possible, so we will settle to start at five o'clock, which
will take us there by eight, in time to see anything that is going on.
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