Mr.Rhodes was diligently helping, from his distant post in Cape Town.

He was helping to procure arms for Johannesburg; he was also arranging to have Jameson break over the border and come to Johannesburg with 600 mounted men at his back.

Jameson--as per instructions from Rhodes, perhaps--wanted a letter from the Reformers requesting him to come to their aid.

It was a good idea.

It would throw a considerable share of the responsibility of his invasion upon the Reformers.