CAPTAIN ARCOLL TELLS A TALE It froze in the night, harder than was common on the Berg even in winter, and as I crossed the road next morning it was covered with rime.

All my fears had gone, and my mind was strung high with expectation.

Five pencilled words may seem a small thing to build hope on, but it was enough for me, and I went about my work in the store with a reasonably light heart.

One of the first things I did was to take stock of our armoury.

There were five sporting Mausers of a cheap make, one Mauser pistol, a Lee-Speed carbine, and a little nickel-plated revolver.