givin' 'em good evenin', we marched along outer the side of the valley where the camp were pitched to where it narrowed into a poort, between big krantzes, with a kloof running down on the left side. By sunrise we were on the divide between the poort and the nex' valley, jest about where the road led over the neck ahead of the troops. We took cover and looked around. `There's a Kaffir,' said I, `over yonder on that rock above the far krantz, watching the camp.' The young chap fetched a laugh. `That Kaffir,' said he, `is a vidette, and there's a whole string of 'em on the heights. None of the enemy can get inter the poort without being seen.' Well, this was up against me, an' I kep' quiet, looking away down inter the next valley where the road track twisted along the steep aside of the thick bush. `That's the place for an ambush,' said the young chap, `down in that ravine. If there are any Kaffirs about they will be there. Let us go down.' I jes' sot there watchin', an' bymby he began to fidget; then he up an' tole me that if I would not scout, he would. `There's no Kaffirs in the far valley,' I said. `I'm tired of you,' he said, in one o' them sort o' drawn tones that always reminds me o' a sword glinting out o' the scabbard; `I came out to scout, not to lie in cover; you may stay here by yourself; I'm going inter the valley below.' I nearly got angry, but then I thought what's the use, so I jest explained matters. `There's no Kaffirs down there,' says I, `but there is Kaffirs down here in the poort in that big kloof, an', what's more, them pickets o' yours will be assegaied before long. I'll tell you why. See them birds flying over that kloof? They've been startled, an', what's more, when they settled jest now they started off ag'in on a new flight, an', what's more, I seed a jackal an' a ram slip away over the rise. That's good enough for me, an' when it's dark I'll slip back to the camp to tell the Colonel.' `Are you sure?' he said, lookin' at me hard. `Certain,' I said. `Then,' said he, `we must go back to the Colonel at once.' "`You might start to go back,' I said, `but you'd never reach half way. Where's the picket?' I said. He took a look at the krantz where we'd seen the figgur of a man, and he seed the poor beggar was gone. `Yes,' I said, `he's been assegaied!' "`My God!' he said, `can't we do anything to save the others?'