After orders and the minutiae of brigade duties came intelligence. The only building at Houwater Drift is a ramshackle half-way house--a familiar landmark of the veldt. This _winkel_ was managed by a half-bred German; the farm inadequately protected from the elements half-a-dozen greasy Dutch _fraus_ of various ages and a single decrepit black boy. Here indeed was a fund of information,--such being the channels through which the British Intelligence usually is worked. The Divisional Intelligence first took them in hand. Then "A" column, then "B" column, and lastly our own ranged them before the witness-table. It would have taken a veritable K.C. to have sorted the truth from the aggregate of falsehood which had been arrived at by the time it was our turn. The Intelligence officer had taken possession of the showrooms of the _winkel_ to serve him as an office. This Shoolbred of the veldt was but a sordid shelter--walls and counter of mud; floor, sun-dried cow-dung and sand. Ranged upon the shelves was a strange medley of merchandise. All edibles had been removed by the Boers; there only remained what we believe the trade terms hard and soft goods. A pile of stinking sheep-skins, a few rolls of questionable longcloth, two packets of candles, some sheep-shears, gin-traps, and a keg of tar. As the Intelligence officer wearily set about his business of cross-examination, he was interrupted by the entrance of the Supply officer. This youth, as has previously been shown, was possessed of ready resource,--so much so that he annexed the two sole remaining packets of candles before unburdening his mind. _Supply Officer_ (_dropping the candles into the deep recess of the pockets of his "coat-warm-British"_).[28] "Are you aware, old boy, that we don't get any grub to-night?" _Intelligence Officer_ (_wearily_). "And why?" _S. O._ "The reason is quite simple. Those mess-servants have driven the mess-cart into the _vlei_, and in the _vlei_ it will remain all night." _I. O._ "I can't help that. I always said that the general's man was a fool. He is not only a fool but a d----d fool!"