"Stalking the enemy's convoys. These fellows have to be fed, hardy and self-supporting as they are. But there, we are pretty well supplied as yet, and the great thing is that our water-supply is never likely to fail." The next morning the Boers made a fresh attack for the purpose of recapturing the gun or seizing the kopje where it was mounted. But this advance, like several more which followed, only resulted in a severe repulse, and at last their attacks formed part of a long blockade in which they hoped to succeed by starving the little British force into subjection. CHAPTER FIVE. THE BOER PRISONERS. It was to this village and kopje, turned after its long occupation into what proved to be an impregnable stronghold--one which so far, to the Boers' cost, maintained its promise--that Drew Lennox and Bob Dickenson returned after their unfortunate fishing expedition, the colonel, a bluff, sun-burnt, stern-looking officer, meeting them with a frown as they came up. "How many men hurt, Roby?" he said. "Only one, sir. Dickenson had his ear nicked by a bullet." "Humph! Might have been worse, my lad," said the colonel. "Show it to the doctor.--Where are your fish, Lennox?" "In the river, sir," said the young officer, with a shrug of the shoulders. "How was that?" The young man briefly explained, and the colonel nodded his head. "Look here," he said, "we want some change from our monotonous fare; but if you two had come back loaded with salmon I should have forbidden any further fishing--so of course I do now. I can't afford to have my officers setting themselves up as butts for the Boers to practise at." "We have taken fifteen prisoners and their horses, sir," interposed Captain Roby, making an effort to turn aside the wrath of their chief. "Yes, Mr Roby, I saw that you had some prisoners," replied the colonel meaningly; "but, excuse me, I had not finished addressing these two gentlemen." "I beg pardon, sir." "That will do," said the colonel. "There, I need say no more. Let's see the prisoners." "I don't think I like fishing as a sport, Drew, old man," said Dickenson, rubbing his ear, and then wincing with pain. "Come on, and let's see the inspection of the enemy. But the boss needn't have been so gruff. We acted as bait, and he has caught fifteen Boers and their horses." "And how are we to feed them all now we have got them?" said Lennox, with a quaint smile. "Oh, that's what made the old man so waxy!" cried the other. "I see now. Well, let him set them up and have them shot." "Of course; according to our merciless custom," said Lennox sarcastically; and directly after the two friends closed up to where the prisoners were being paraded, their horses, clever, wiry-looking little cobs, being led up behind them by some of the men.