"I think that we have a chance of a show this jaunt," said the brigadier, after somebody had produced a bottle of port. "This is about the best plan that K.[12] has thrown off his chest. But I am afraid that Plumer will spoil it. He is a holy terror when he gets on a trail. That is his great fault: you will never catch these fellows by holding on to a trail after you have been on it three days. I don't care how red-hot it may be. You run yourself stone-cold, only to find that your quarry has outlasted you. Now, after De Wet crossed the railway at Hautkraal, Plumer's obvious move was to Strydenburg. They could have pushed stuff out there to him from Hopetown. K. wants De Wet to go south-west into the loop of the J which our five columns make. Now, if Plumer, Crabbe, & Co. stick to him, he'll break back to the Orange River as sure as fate. But if Plumer lets him alone, and we are not messed about by too many general-men, we'll have him. Once De Wet gets south as far as Britstown he's a dead bird. But we shall be messed about by too many generals. See, how many have we?--Five. That's enough in the way of cooks to spoil any pottage. But personally I don't think De Wet will be the good little fly and walk into our pretty parlour. They don't ask me for opinions; but if I was running this show, I would have halted Plumer on the railway, left the J as it is, and collected an infernal 'push' of men north of the Orange River. I should have held a line from Mark's Drift to Springfontein. When I had got that, I would have turned our sleuth-hound Plumer loose again. Then all we fine fellows could have played with De Wet until he was sick of the Colony. We could then escort him to the Orange River, and the 'pushes' on the far side would have picked up the pieces. But here we are; may Providence guide him to us! I'm for bed. Good night!" FOOTNOTES: [1] Commandant Judge Hertzog. [2] A special Intelligence officer was told off to watch De Wet's movements. [3] "Chowder" was telegraphic address of general commanding line of communications in Cape Colony. [4] Rimington's Guides wear a piece of leopard-skin in their hats, and are known as Rimington's Tigers. [5] Native boys. [6] Husband. [7] Sheep. [8] Farm working hand. [9] Traitor. Lit., Hands upper--_i.e._, surrendered man. [10] The Boers speak of all British soldiers as Kharkis. [11] Store. [12] Lord Kitchener is commonly spoken of as "K." in South Africa. III. BEE-LINE TO BRITSTOWN. "Not bad for a green crush."