The general looked round as
he did so. He beckoned to him to come up to his side.
"Now, sir, let me hear more about this. The captain of the troop that
you belong to, tells me that you and twenty other young fellows, all
from Johannesburg, formed yourselves into a party of scouts, and are
making war at your own expense, and that although in a certain way you
joined his troop you really act independently when it so pleases you."
"Yes, sir. We and our families have received great indignities from the
Boers; and although we are conscious that we should be of little use as
troops, we thought that we could do service as scouts on our own
account, and have been lucky in inflicting some blows on them. I was
fortunate enough to attract Colonel Yule's attention at Dundee, and he
furnished me with an open letter addressed to you, and to officers
commanding stations, saying that we had done so."
"Have you it about you?"
"Yes, sir."
Sir Redvers held out his hand, and Chris handed him the letter. "So you
went into the Boer camp! Do you speak Dutch well?"
"Yes, sir; we all speak Dutch fairly, and most of us Kaffir also, that
was why we thought that we should be more useful scouting; until now we
have all been dressed as young Boers, and could, I think, pass without
suspicion anywhere.
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