Then the vrouw must hide me as best she could, in the grain-pit or elsewhere, or, if I had my senses about me, let me hide myself.

Afterwards she, Marie, would face the Boers and tell them to find me if they wanted me.
The vrouw answered that she had now thought of a better plan.

It was that she should arrange with her husband and son and the Meyers, all of whom loved me, that they should rescue me, or if need be, kill or disable Pereira before he could shoot me.
Marie replied that this was good if it could be done, and the vrouw went out to find her husband and the other men.

Presently, however, she returned with a long face, saying that the commandant had them all under guard.

It seemed that it had occurred to him, or more probably to Pereira, that the Prinsloos and the Meyers, who looked on me as a brother, might attempt some rescue, or make themselves formidable in other ways.