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Henty, G. A. (George Alfred), 1832-1902

"With Buller in Natal, Or, a Born Leader"

They will be
out of sight there. When you have done that take your places quietly
among the rocks. Do you, Capper and Carmichael, put yourselves twenty or
thirty yards apart; you are our best shots. When the Boers get within a
thousand yards, which is as near as they will do if they keep the line
they are going, open fire upon them and keep it up steadily, but not too
fast. When they see that only two men are firing they will think that
you are a couple of farmers whose place they have plundered, and who are
determined to have their revenge. You are safe to hit some of them, and
the others will decide upon wiping you out, and will probably leave
their horses and crawl up in their usual style. When they get close it
will be our turn. I don't think many of them are likely to get away."
His orders were carried out, and five minutes later the two rifles
flashed out one after another. The Boers were riding in a clump. One was
seen to fall, and the horse of another gave a violent plunge.
"Very good," exclaimed Chris, who, like the rest, was lying down behind
a rock. "Don't fire too fast. Wait half a minute, and then each take
another turn, one a little time after the other." The man who had fallen
was instantly picked up by one of his comrades, and all rode off at full
gallop, but before they could get beyond the range of the Mausers each
of the lads had fired two more shots.


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