"Of course not. All we want is for them to behave like peaceable neighbours, and obey the laws. They want what they call freedom, which is as good as saying that English laws make people slaves. We don't feel much like slaves--do we?" "Is that the reason they are at war with us?" "Something of that kind," said the Lieutenant, "as far as I understand it. All politics, and they are the most quarrelsome things in the world. People are always fighting about them somewhere." "But--" I began. "Oh, don't ask me," said my companion; "that's as much as I understand about it. All I say is that it's a great pity people should be shooting at one another over what ought to be settled by a bit of talk. But, I say, look out. What does that mean? Halt!" The men drew rein on the instant, as I looked forward, expecting to see a puff of white smoke ahead, for Joeboy suddenly dropped down behind a block of stone high up in front, and from there began to make signals, just as if he were out in rough ground with me on the veldt and had sighted game. "He has seen the Boers," I said excitedly. "Look! He says there are hundreds of them." "No, he doesn't," said my companion gruffly; "he's only flourishing his arms about like a windmill gone mad." "But that's his way of signalling a big herd of game," I said, "and--" Before I could say more, _puff, puff, puff_ arose the tiny white clouds of smoke, followed by the cracking of the rifles, taken up by the echoes till there was a continuous roar; while _phit, phit, phit_, bullets began to drop about us, striking the stones, and others passed overhead with an angry buzz like so many big flies. "Retire!" shouted my companion. "It's of no use to waste ammunition. They're in strong force up yonder.--Here, you, Moray, what are you about?" "Nothing," I said sternly; "only looking for my man." "But didn't you hear my order?" shouted Denham; and before I could do anything to prevent him he caught Sandho's rein and put spurs to his horse. "Don't do that," I cried angrily. "I can't go and leave my poor fellow in the lurch. I'm afraid he's hit." "I can't stop here and have my little troop shot down on account of your black." "But--" "Come on, sir!" shouted Denham; "obey orders. Here, you're a pretty rough sort of a pup for me to lick into shape," he added, in a friendly way, as he trotted back amongst the stones. "Recollect you're a soldier now, without any will of your own. You hand everything over to your officer, and obey him, whether it's to ride forward into the enemy's fire or to retire." "But it's horrible to leave that poor fellow to his fate," I said. "More horrible to lose the lives of the party of men entrusted to me. Look here, my lad; it's an officer's duty never to throw away a man. If he is obliged to spend a few to carry some point, that's war and necessary; but to dash them bull-headed against double odds to gain nothing is folly."