‘I am proud to shake hands with you, sir,’ said Steve, suiting the action to the word. ‘With such men as you to stand by us, our future is assured.’ ‘I am glad to see you’re one of us, sir, and hope to meet you again in more peaceful times; in the meanwhile, now my horse has had a breathing spell, I must hurry on.’ ‘One moment, sir,’ said Steve. ‘I want to leave at once for the scene of action. Which is the best way, do you think, to reach it?’ ‘I suppose, to take train as far as you can, and where you find yourself stopped, to get a horse (the best way you can), and go on horseback until you reach the place where fighting is going on.’ ‘Thank you, sir. Good-bye, and God speed the Republican cause.’ ‘Amen, good-bye, and good luck.’ Steve was intensely excited, his breath came in short, quick gasps. He turned to Keith and Harrison, saying,-- ‘Look here, you chaps, I do not know what you intend doing, but I can’t stay here another hour, I must get away without a moment’s unnecessary delay.’ ‘But, Steve, what could you do if you did go? One man more or less will make no difference. Stay and let us finish our fishing. Time enough to go fighting when we have to go back and our holiday is over.’ Steve shook his head, saying,-- ‘No, old man, if everybody were to say that, and want to enjoy their New Year festivities before responding to their country’s call, then Jameson would have an easy march to Johannesburg. No, I must go. The only question is, How? Will you fellows go too, or will you stay and let me have the mule waggon to the station, then I can send it back to you, and you can stay here and have the full benefit of your holiday.’ ‘No, Steve, if go you must, I go too,’ said Keith. ‘And I will go too. If there is going to be excitement on, we might as well be at hand and see what is going on?’ said Harrison. ‘As to fighting, I do not yet know what I shall do personally, but one thing I am sure of, I am not going to fight against the Boers. If they have to be suppressed, I will take no hand in it, while I may yet decide to fight with them; for if they are really invaded in this back-handed, treacherous way, the sympathy of all right-minded people ought to go with them.’ ‘Well, if we are to go, the sooner the better,’ said Keith, responding kindly to Steve’s wishes. The driver was called, and told to get the mules and inspan at once, while the rest of the party busied themselves in getting everything packed and ready for their departure. Steve’s cousin was not consulted as to his willingness to leave or not; he was in the minority and had to accept the decision arrived at; he was sulking on one side, refusing to render assistance in the preparations for leaving. He was undecided what to do; he was not quite sure yet whether the Boers were going to lose or not, so he thought he would keep quiet a little longer, and see in which way matters tended. No notice was taken of him by the others.