The competition for complete sets of the newspaper ran the price up to L10, and this strife ran neck and neck with the rivalry to obtain sets of Free State postage stamps made British by the letters V.R.I. on an overline of printing. One of these stamps was quoted at L10 while the army lingered in Bloemfontein, but I have my own reason for thinking that THE FRIEND will receive a higher valuation than any "pink sixpenny stamp" or any set of stamps, for it fell to the lot of that journal to emphasise the present power and usefulness of the press as no other journal has ever done. A single copy of this newspaper is reported to have fetched L25 at a London charity bazaar. * * * * * Since the return to England of three of the editors we have decided to perpetuate the little organisation in a fraternal "Order of Friendlies," and Rudyard Kipling has designed a badge which Messrs. Tiffany & Co., jewellers, of Regent Street, have most ably and artistically executed in gold and enamel. Facsimiles of it adorn the cover of this book. It is of the size of a two-guinea coin. On its obverse side are the colours of the old Free State and Transvaal, upon which is imposed the red cross of Saint George. In the ends of the cross are the initials of the four editors in Greek capitals. Lord Roberts's badge has his initials in the centre of the cross in green under a golden coronet, and where the ring is, on top of our badges, his has a green enamel shamrock leaf. On the reverse side are four pens crossed and surrounded by a motto, "Inter Praelia Prelum," "In the Midst of War the Printing Press," here couched in monkish Latin. Lord Roberts's badge has a drawn sword of gold on top of the crossed pens. Only seven men in all the world belong to this order: Lord Roberts, Lord Stanley, Messrs. Gwynne, Kipling, Landon, Buxton, and myself. All others are eligible, however, who have dedicated themselves to "telling the truth at all costs and all hazards," so that the mind fails to grasp the future possibilities of its membership. THE END. INDEX Barnes, James-- Anecdotes by, 223 Edits the thirteenth No. of THE FRIEND, 221 Battersby, Prevost, Contributor to THE FRIEND, 132 Bloemfontein-- Concert in, 227 Cronje warned that we should march to, 2 Evening Concert in Aid of the Widow' and Orphans' Fund, 408 Fooled by the Boers in, 283 "Free State Hospital" and Staff, 207 Settles down under Lord Roberts' Rule, 115 State of the Army on arrival at, 1 The Boer women in, 350 The Club at, 48 War Trophy Mania in, 318 Women of, The, 353 Burleigh, Bennet, Experience of, 35 Buxton, F. W., Facts about, 10 Canadians on Majuba Day, Description of, 22 Christian, Pt. Ewan, Story of a Colonial Hero, 39 Colvile, Gen. Sir Henry, Contributor to THE FRIEND, 131 Conan Doyle, Dr. A.-- Arrival of in Bloemfontein, 305 Contributor to THE FRIEND, 312