"I had every hope that you had got through safely, Mr. Harberton. For if you had not done so, we should certainly have heard of it here. Moreover, there came a story that three Boers had been strangely overpowered, and left tied up in a stable by two others, aided by a Kaffir. The two men had been recognized as spies by one of the party assaulted. The incident was considered as an extraordinary one, as taking place in the heart of a town occupied by the Boers, without any alarm being given. So far as was known their assailants had escaped. It was certain that the two spies had ridden quietly out of the town, and had been accompanied by the Kaffir. A hundred men started in pursuit along all the roads leading west, but without success. I felt no doubt that you were the men engaged in the matter, and I heartily congratulate you." "It was entirely due to you that we succeeded; your getting us that ride in the train down to Colesberg, and the permit were of the greatest service to us, and we could hardly have crossed the river without them. Even as it was, it was a close thing, and it was the greatest piece of good fortune that we were able to get out of the town after the affair you speak of." He then related how Dirck Jansen and his companions had been overcome and silenced. "You Englishmen are quicker of thought and action than our people," von Rensburg said. "I am not astonished that in a sudden struggle like that, when both parties were equally surprised, you had the advantage. I shall be glad, if your duties permit, if you will take up your quarters here. I have no doubt that the Dutch rule in this place is at an end, and I shall be running no risk whatever in showing that I for one am well content that it should be so. The behaviour of your men as they marched through the town to-day was beyond all praise. They must have had a terrible time of it, for they all looked worn and haggard, and had evidently been doing desperately hard work on the smallest amount of food." "Yes, it has been hard work, and our loss in horses and baggage animals has been enormous; still, we are all well satisfied. In a month from starting we have relieved Kimberley, captured Cronje and some five thousand of his men, driven De Wet out of two strong positions, and now occupy this town." "I do not think you will have much more hard fighting, Mr. Harberton. The men who came in here yesterday, after being driven from the last position, were completely disheartened. They said they had been told that the Rooineks were cowards, but that there was no stopping them, and that your soldiers marched through a storm of bullets as if these had merely been hailstones."