It was something of a disappointment to her, on arriving at Harmony, to find everything exactly as she had left it. Carlo greeted her with his old extravagant demonstrations of affection and delight, and when she looked searchingly into her mother's face she was met with a beaming smile. There was no trace of the ordeal she had faced alone, and Hansie's anxious heart gave a throb of relief. She was soon in full possession of the details of the adventure, and it appeared that the "raid" had been made in the early hours of the 19th (Jan.), Sunday morning. It had been raining heavily all night, and the torrents were still coming down drenchingly when Mrs. van Warmelo was aroused by a knock at her bedroom window and "Gentleman Jim's" voice, with all the drawl gone, calling out anxiously, "Missis, come, the police want you!" Mrs. van Warmelo dressed hurriedly, and on opening the front door was met by an officer, who informed her that he had been ordered by the Commissioner of Police to search her house. Armed soldiers were standing about, guarding the different entrances. Mrs. van Warmelo led the way, and the officer went through the house with her alone, glancing under beds, opening wardrobes and moving screens in his search "for men," as he said in reply to her questions. "I am surprised that you should have been sent to search my house for _men_," she said, with righteous indignation. "I was surprised to see _your_ name on the black list, Mrs. van Warmelo," he answered. She watched him in puzzled silence. Evidently he knew her, or her name. Quite evidently he was no Englishman--only a South African could pronounce her name like that. When they reached the passage leading to the kitchen the officer suddenly started at the sight of Flippie's form lying curled up in deep sleep. He bent over him, pulled his blanket down cautiously, and said below his breath, "Oh, a boy!" The house having been thoroughly searched, he turned to Mrs. van Warmelo and, courteously thanking her for having allowed him to do so, asked permission to go through the out-buildings, which was instantly granted. There was no one, of course, and the military, if they had expected to make any sensational discoveries that morning, were grievously disappointed. * * * * * "Well, I am glad it is over, mamma," Hansie said when the story came to an end. "It is better to have the house searched _in vain_, than not to have it searched at all, when one is on the black list. Perhaps the surveillance on Harmony will now be removed, at least to some extent, and the danger to Captain Naude, when he comes in again, considerably lessened." That this was the case we shall see in our next chapter. CHAPTER XXXIX THE WATCHWORD. OILING THE HINGES Three weeks went uneventfully by.