"Certainly. We will sling our rifles again. If we have them in our hands the sentry might think it wiser to fire at once, without asking questions. However, now that he can see my uniform, I have little fear of that, but it is as well to be on the safe side." As they approached they could see that the sentry called to a comrade close by, for another at once joined him. When they came within a hundred yards the sentry challenged. "An officer with despatches from Kimberley," Yorke replied. "You can come on for a bit," the soldier said, "but I shall not let you pass farther until an officer comes." "I have a permit from General Colville to enter and pass the lines." "Then you can come on, but don't touch those guns of yours till I have seen your permit." The sentry was justified in being doubtful, for many of the Boers had adopted khaki-coloured clothes, and at a very short distance Yorke might well have been mistaken for one of these. "That is all right, sir," the soldier said, when he had read the permit. "We are obliged to be careful, you know; and if you had come before it got light I could not have let you pass without the countersign." "You were quite right to stop me," Yorke said. "It is because I knew that I could not get in without the countersign that I have been sleeping for the last three or four hours a quarter of a mile away. Did you hear any firing in the night?" "I did not, sir; but the man I relieved told me that he had heard three shots over to the right, and we were charged to be extra vigilant." "You need not be so any longer. One shot was fired at me as I came through some Boer outposts a couple of miles this side of the road from Jacobsdal. The others are the two shots we fired. There are a good many of the Boers about, but we got through safely." "Is Kimberley all right, sir? You said you came from there." "Yes, they can hold out for some time." "They won't have to hold out long, sir. We shall be there before another week is over, I hope." "I hope so too," Yorke agreed, and then he and Peter walked on. He followed the line of railway. There were two or three strong posts upon it, but seeing that he had been allowed to pass by the most advanced sentries, no questions were asked him. Nearing the river, he turned off and proceeded at once to head-quarters. On arriving there he was told that General Colville was dressing, and would be out in a few minutes. "Shall I take your name in, sir?" the orderly asked. "No, I will wait till the general is ready." In ten minutes General Colville came out with General Pole-Carew, and on seeing Yorke, said heartily: "So you are back, Mr. Harberton. We got our searchlights to work last night for the first time, and got into communication with Kimberley. They have been flashing signals for some days, but we have not been able to answer them until now. Last night we asked, 'Has messenger arrived?' and we got an answer, 'Yes, and left two days ago.'"