There were fifteen Kaffirs in this cell besides themselves who would have to be trusted. The lads had seen enough of them to risk taking the lot into their confidence. "Cocoeni," he whispered to a strong young fellow, who had vowed friendship with him, "would you like to escape?" "You bet, baas," replied the Kaffir, who understood and could speak a little English. "And the others, will they help us?" "Yes, baas; you may trust us all. We shall all help you if you show us how." "I have friends outside who, when they know where we are, will give us some instrument to break out of this." "Good. And what can we do to let them know?" Ned had torn a piece from his shirt while he was speaking; he now said-- "Give me a back up, Cocoeni. I'll push out this bit of rag. When the moon rises they will see it." "So will the Boers," said Cocoeni. "Oh, we must risk that. If they do wander round that side, they may not think anything about it. Besides, they are too lazy to do much knocking about at night." Cocoeni willingly placed his face against the wall, and bent his back while Ned climbed up on to his broad shoulders. It was pitch dark inside, but they could see the stars through the slits near the roof. After the rag had been pushed half through so that one end hung outside and the other inside, they agreed to watch and watch turn about. At the first appearance of day they would take in the signal. Clarence took the first watch of three hours, while the rest lay down to sleep. By this time every Kaffir had been told by Cocoeni, and they were prepared to obey orders. Nothing disturbed Clarence. The Boers never troubled themselves to visit their prisoners during the night, and doubtless not many bothered themselves to keep awake. He saw, however, by the rays of silver that the moon had risen and was shining on the outer wall. It was a full moon, so that the rag must be observed if any one was on the watch. Fred took the next watch, nor had he anything to report when Ned relieved him. The moon by this time had moved round to the other side. Ned waited patiently for about two hours in the darkness, when, just as he was beginning to think there would be no answer that night, Cocoeni touched him, and whispered softly in his ear-- "Baas, some one outside creeping gently." The keen ears of the savage had heard what Ned could not. A few moments afterwards something heavy dropped upon his head, and fell with a muffled thud on the clay floor. He stooped to lift it, and to his delight felt the head of a small pickaxe wrapped in flannel. As he was unrolling it, another article came through the slit, and this he found to be the handle. His friends had understood his signal, and this was their reply. He hugged handle and head in his arms with an ecstasy of delight. Now, at last, freedom was within sight.