One day we saw a horseman wrapped in a long cloak up to his chin, surmounted by a huge slouch hat, ride into the yard.

Mrs.Keeley exclaimed it was certainly a Boer, and that he had no doubt come to arrest Mr.Keeley.I was positive the unknown was an Englishman, but she was so shrewd that I really believed her, and kept out of sight as she directed, while she sent her brother to question him.

It turned out that the rider was the same _Daily Mail_ correspondent who had cut his way out of Mafeking in order to send his cables, and that he was now on his way back to the besieged town.

The growth of a two weeks' beard had given him such an unkempt appearance as to make even sharp Mrs.Keeley mistake him for a Boer.

He had had an interesting if risky ride, which he appeared to have accomplished with energy and dash, if perhaps with some imprudence.[30] It was the continued dearth of news, not only concerning Mafeking, but also of what was going on in the rest of South Africa, that made me at length endeavour to get news from Vryburg.