“Good heavens!” exclaimed the former; “it is Jeremy.” Mr. Alston took in the situation at a glance. “Don’t let him see you; you will put him off,” he said. “Get behind me.” Ernest obeyed, overwhelmed. Mr. Alston shook his head. He recognised that Jeremy had a poor chance, but he did not say so to Ernest. Meanwhile Jeremy came up and faced the Dutchman. Encouraged by his late success, presently his adversary struck a tremendous blow at him. Jeremy dodged, and next instant succeeded in landing such a fearful right and left full on the giant’s face that the latter went reeling backwards. A yell of frantic excitement arose from the English portion of the crowd. This was indeed a David. [Illustration: “This was indeed a David.”] The Dutchman soon recovered, however, and, rendered more cautious, in his turn, kept out of Jeremy’s reach, trying to strike him down from a distance. For a round or two no important blow was struck, till at last a brilliant idea took possession of the young fellow who had charge of Jeremy’s coat. “Hit him about the body,” he whispered; “he’s soft.” Jeremy took the advice, and next round succeeded in getting in two or three blows straight from the shoulder, every one of which bruised the Boer’s huge body sadly, and made him rather short of wind. Next round he repeated the same tactics, receiving himself a stroke on the shoulder from Van Zyl’s right hand that for a moment rendered his left arm helpless. Before another second was over, however, Jeremy had his revenge, and the blood was pouring from his adversary’s lips. And now the popular excitement on both sides grew intense, for to the interest attaching to the encounter was added that of national feeling, which was then at a high state of tension. Englishmen, Dutchmen, and a mob of Kafirs yelled and shouted, and each of the former two felt that the honour of his people was on the issue. And yet it was an unequal fight. “I believe that your friend will be a match for Van Zyl,” said Mr. Alston, coolly, but the flash of his eye belied his coolness; “and I tell you what, he’s a devilish fine fellow, too.” At that moment, however, an untoward thing happened. The giant struck out his strongest, and Jeremy could not succeed in entirely warding off the blow, though he broke its force. Crashing through his guard, it struck him on the forehead, and for a moment he dropped senseless. His second rushed up and dashed some water over him, and in another instant he was on his legs again; but for the rest of that round he contented himself with dodging his adversary’s attack, at which the Dutchmen cheered, thinking that his iron strength was broken.