We are Englishmen, and we made a dash to escape Kimberley, and got through your investing lines." "To carry despatches to the rooineks ?" "No," replied West.

"Your men searched us and found no despatches." "Messages then.

You were going to the British forces ?" "We should have joined them after a time, perhaps," said West, speaking more coolly.
"He's lying!" said Anson sharply.

"Have them searched again!" The Boer commandant nodded, gave the order, and half-a-dozen of his men came forward, after which the prisoners were ordered out of the wagon, and they let themselves down, when they were thoroughly searched from head to heel--of course, without result, and the Boer chief turned frowningly to Anson.
"They must have hid the letter somewhere about the wagon then!" "Two of you get in and search!" said the commandant.
This was carefully carried out, and the men descended.
"Then they must have destroyed their message before you took them," cried Anson, "or somehow since." "They were carefully searched as soon as they were taken," observed one of the field-cornets.
"Yes," said the commandant, "and I saw it done.

Well, they will not carry any news to Mafeking.