At last, while the long line of captured stores was crawling over the veldt, and a great number of the other oxen which had wandered off to graze were, according to their instinct, beginning to follow their companions as if to make for Groenfontein, the order was given for the men to fall in ready for the march back. All was soon in order, and the major turned to Dickenson, who stood aside with Sergeant James, waiting to perform their dangerous task. "I was going to appoint four more men to fire the wagons," said the major, "but with the preparations you have made the flames will spread rapidly, and you two can very well do it; and as soon as the fire has taken hold you can light the fuses yonder." "Men signalling from the top of the kopje," said Captain Edwards. "That means the enemy in sight," said the major coolly. "Signal to them to come down." As the captain turned away to attend to his orders the major held out his hand to Dickenson. "Do your work thoroughly," he said gravely, "and then follow as fast as you can. I will leave pickets behind to cover you." Dickenson nodded, but said nothing, only stood fingering a box of matches in his pocket and watching the major hurrying down the encumbered slope of the kopje to join the men awaiting the order to march. "Sentries on the top coming down, sir," growled the sergeant; and Dickenson nodded again, turning to watch the two men running actively along and leaping from stone to stone, till they were pretty close to the drawn-up force, when the bugle rang out, the voices of the officers were heard, and the retiring party went off at a good swinging march. Dickenson watched them for a few minutes without a word, while the sergeant stood with his rifle grounded and his hands resting upon the muzzle, perfectly calm and soldierly, patiently waiting for his orders, just as if he and the sergeant were to follow as a sort of rear-guard instead of to fulfil about as dangerous a task as could fall to the lot of a man, knowing too, as he did, that the enemy had been signalled as advancing--a body of men armed with the most deadly and far-reaching rifles of modern times. "About time now, sergeant," said Dickenson coolly. "Yes, sir; 'bout right now, I should think." "I want them to have a fair start first," continued Dickenson; "and I can't help feeling a little uneasy about the enemy's wounded, for there will be an awful explosion." "Oh, they'll be all right, sir. Make 'em jump, perhaps, and think they're going to be swept away." "I wish they were farther off," said Dickenson; and then he uttered an ejaculation as he started aside, an example followed by the sergeant, who chuckled a little as he exclaimed: "Wish 'em farther off, sir? So do I."