They observed as they went that there were
still fires burning in the station yard, that some Kaffirs were seated
near these, and as, in the silence of the night, a faint sound could be
heard like that of a distant train, they had no doubt that they were
waiting up for one to arrive. Indeed, before they had reached the
camping place they saw a train pass by. It had no lights save the head-
lights and that of the engine fire, and they therefore had no doubt that
it was another train with stores.
When they reached their tents they had a long consultation. No fire had
been lighted. The horses had been taken some way up a little ravine down
which a stream of water trickled; here the four natives had taken up
their post. These had only come down in the middle of the day to fetch
their food, which Jack cooked over the spirit stove. This was alight
when the lads returned, but was carefully screened round by blankets so
that not the slightest glow could be seen from a distance.
"What do you think of it, Chris?" Brown said.
"I don't know what to think about it. I have no idea what effect
dynamite would have when exploded at a distance of thirty or forty feet
below a bridge. Certainly it would blow the roadway up, but I have very
great doubts whether it would so twist or smash the main girders as to
render the bridge impassable.
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