When Matthew Flinders exchanged from the --th Foot to the Cape Mounted Riflemen he was attached to Jamieson's troop, and from that time they had been on the closest terms of friendship. Captain Jamieson was a widower; his family consisted of three sons and two daughters. Frank, the eldest boy, had just turned eighteen; his brothers, James and David, were sixteen and fourteen respectively. The girls were--but no, we must not divulge the young ladies' ages! suffice it to say that Miss Janet (who since Mrs Jamieson's death had acted as her father's housekeeper) was well out of her teens, whilst Miss Elsie had not long jumped into hers. A pair of bonnier lasses could not have been found in the whole of Cape Colony! The young Jamiesons assisted their father in looking after the farm and the men employed upon it; of whom there were between twenty and thirty-- mostly Hottentots, Korannas and Griquas, or "Bastaards;" these lived in decent cottages on the estate with their wives and families, and were all trained to the use of fire-arms; thus in the event of Ralfontein being attacked, it could be defended by a well-disciplined and well-armed garrison. "Business first, pleasure afterwards," was Major Flinders' motto; so on the morning after he arrived at Ralfontein he informed his host of his wish to purchase some horses. "You could not have come to me at a better time, Mat," was the captain's reply. "I have now nearly seventy young uns--two, three, and four-year olds--and about half as many aged horses in the paddocks and stables; and early next month I expect a drove of brood mares and colts from Campbell's Doorp. You can take your pick of those that are here or wait for the others." Major Flinders replied, that as he could not remain at Ralfontein more than a week he must choose from the horses then on the farm; so the next three days were spent in examining and trying several "young uns," of which the Major ultimately purchased fifteen, making up the score with older horses. Tom and his crony George Weston had hoped to see some big shooting during their stay at the Jamiesons'; but in this they were disappointed, as, it being a busy season at the farm, their young hosts had no opportunity of going out with them; however, like sensible lads, they contented themselves with roaming about the estate shooting hares and guinea-fowl, and assisting in the selection and trial of the horses; thus they found the time pass very quickly and the last day of their visit to the farm came round all too soon... "Well, my lads what think you of Ralfontein?" asked their hospitable host as they sat round the supper-table the evening before their departure. "It is the prettiest and jolliest place I ever stayed at," cried George, with unmistakable earnestness; "that is to say, except--except _Rustenburg_," he added, with some confusion.