_Click_! went the field-glass as it was closed, and at the same moment the Colonel turned, to see Denham nodding his head violently at me in acquiescence with our chief's remarks, but in profound ignorance, till he saw my eyes, of the fact that the Colonel was watching him curiously; then he met the Colonel's glance, and blushed like a girl. "Don't do that, Mr Denham. You'll injure your spine." "Oh!" went Denham's mouth, and he stamped his foot, as the Colonel walked away--both movements, of course, in silence. "There," said the Colonel loudly, as if for us both to hear; "I don't think I need try to see any more. Ha!" he ejaculated as, with a sharp movement, he began to open and focus his glass again, and looking towards the west for some time. "Worse and worse. They mean to have us. I suppose they look upon us as a danger that must be crushed out once and for all." "If they could do it, sir," said Denham. "They evidently mean to try, Denham," replied the Colonel, with a sigh. "Some of us will have to bite the dust before this business is over. There's a fresh commando of quite five hundred men coming up yonder under the sun, and before dark we shall be regularly ringed round." "Well, let them come, sir," said Denham bitterly; "they can't all hit at us at once. What you said was right." "What I said was right?" replied the Colonel, staring. "Why, what did I say?" "Something about advancing to-night in the darkness; and then, as soon as we were discovered by the outposts, making a gallop for it." "Did I say that?" "Yes, sir." "Not a bad plan either," said the Colonel, his face wrinkling up. "No, sir; just the exciting rush I love." "Humph!" said the Colonel. "Well, gentlemen, we may as well go down." "`Well, gentlemen,'" whispered Denham to me, with a laugh, as soon as he had the opportunity. "I say, recruit--private--whatever you call yourself--why don't you blush?" No more was said then, as orders were given for every man to make a good meal from his haversack; and as soon as the order was passed along, the men looked at one another and began to whisper. "We're not going to stop here for to-night," said one. "I had picked out my corner for a good snooze." "The Colonel was afraid the ruin would be too draughty for us, and didn't wish to see his boys getting up in the morning with stiff necks," said another; and plenty of laughing and banter went on amongst the men, who in all probability would be engaged in a deadly struggle before many hours had passed.