The general is not likely to be down here till half an hour
before the train starts, and it is certainly not probable that he will
count the number of carriages."
It was now half-past five, and Chris joined his friends, who were
waiting with the horses and Kaffirs near the station. They had hardly
expected him so soon, as they did not know that his mother had left.
"Good news," he said. "There is a through train going up this evening,
and I have got permission for us and the horses to go; but they must be
put in a truck by half-past six, and we may as well get them in at once.
We still have our water-skins; the Kaffirs had better get them filled at
once, and a good supply of mealies for the horses on the way; there is
no saying how long we may be. Willesden, do you run into a store and get
a supply of bread and a cold ham for ourselves; a good stock of bread
for the Kaffirs, and a jar of water, and a hamper, with a lock,
containing two dozen bottles of beer, the mildest you can get, for them.
We are sure to get out for a few minutes at one of the stations, and can
then unlock the hamper and give them a bottle each. It would never do to
leave it to their mercy; they would drink it up in the first half-hour,
and then likely enough quarrel and fight.
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