After a short consultation it was decided that Brenckmann should risk walking through the town in daylight to his home in Arcadia and send some one in the evening to escort Naude and Venter to Harmony. The two men had a terrible day in the bush, lying as flat as possible in the choking heat, without food and nothing to drink but a little filthy water in a hole near by. When night fell Brenckmann sent his sister, with one of Venter's, to their hiding-place, and then the search for Harmony began. It was the unsuspecting Flippie, lounging about the streets after his day's work was done, who gave the required information and volunteered to show them the way. Before they retired for the night Naude took Mrs. van Warmelo's hand, and, looking earnestly into her face, said: "Do you know what it means to harbour me? There is a heavy price on my head, and in the event of an attack I do not mean to be taken alive. There will be a fight under your roof. I am well armed"--he tapped his revolvers significantly; "it means confiscation of your property and imprisonment for you and your daughter. Are you prepared for this? If not, say the word; it is not yet too late for us to seek refuge elsewhere." "You are heartily welcome here," she replied, "and if it comes to fighting----" "We have arms too," Hansie broke in, "a revolver and a pocket-pistol. It will not be the first time that Boer women have fought side by side with their men----" She stopped in some confusion, suddenly remembering General Maxwell and the permits he had given her. "I fervently hope there will be no fighting," she continued. "I am sure there will not be. There are too many troops lying around Harmony, we shall never be suspected of harbouring spies; but if we should be surprised in the night, don't begin shooting at once. We have a hiding-place for you." Mrs. van Warmelo led the way to her bedroom, where the men were to sleep, and, removing a rug from the floor beside the bed, she lifted two boards and disclosed an opening large enough for the body of a man to pass through. "Put all your belongings in here and creep in at the first alarm," she said. "We will cover you up securely. Leave the matter in our hands." "By the way," said the Captain suddenly, "who is Flippie?" She gave him a brief outline of Flippie's history and how he came to be at Harmony. "Why do you ask?" "Well, I should like to cultivate Flippie's acquaintance. I must find out what he thinks of how _we_ come to be with you." "Oh, Flippie is all right," she declared. "You can trust him with anything. But perhaps it will be safer for you to remain in hiding while you are with us, not to be seen even by the servants." "We can arrange all that to-morrow," Captain Naude answered. "I am sure you must be tired now, and perhaps you will not get much rest. There are many things to do and to discuss to-morrow. I must see several people and give you the reports for the President."