"
"I don't suppose you did so, because I fancy that directly the Boers
began fighting here the horses bunched in one corner of the yard. Well,
will you feed them also, and see how many are uninjured. That is a
matter of importance, for our horses will scarcely be fit for work in
the morning. Do you think yours may be?"
"Yes, I think so; we have only been shut up three days, and they have
had a good deal of pickings, what with the beds and what was lying about
in the yard before; and a good feed now will certainly set them up. What
do you propose to do?"
"Well, I want in the first place to get enough of the Boer ponies in to
mount us all, and in the second to overtake and cut the Boers off if
possible, and lastly to rescue the cattle. Five of our party are away
after the horses, but their object was to scatter them. They were to
halt about five miles away, and if they heard three rifle shots at
regular intervals they were to ride towards them."
"Do you want them in here? if so, I will go out and give the signal. We
have taken it by turns to sleep, so we are all fairly fresh."
"Yes, I want them in, but I specially want them to collect and drive in
a score of the Boer ponies." "At daybreak we will all go," another of
the farmers said, "and lend a hand.
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