If I die for it, I will." At that moment, just as there seemed to be every possibility of a deadly encounter between the two men, there was a loud hail from beyond the rock, and, as it was not replied to, another cry was heard, in company with loud echoing splashes in the water, and half-a-dozen Boers waded into sight, evidently in a high state of excitement.
"Hullo there!" shouted the foremost, "didn't you hear us call?
We began to think you had fallen into an ambush! Quick, back with you: there's a patrol of the rooineks out yonder coming this way, the mounted men with the spiked poles." "Many or few ?" said the man addressed as the field-cornet, and, apparently forgetting his anger in the excitement, he began to hurry away from the cavern mouth, talking loudly the while.

"I'll see! If they'll come on, we'll stay here; if not, we might try and surround them and capture the whole gang!" The next minute the walls of the gully were echoing the hurried splashing made by the party, as the last of them turned the corner and disappeared across the veldt.
"Phew! What a pity!" said Ingleborough, taking off his hat to wipe his forehead.
"A pity!" cried West.

"What: the news that some of our people are near ?" "No, no; I meant that the row came to an end.

I was in hopes that we were going to have a new version of the Kilkenny cats, and two enemies of Old England were going to tear each other to pieces and leave only a tail behind." "Oh, be serious, Ingle!" said West excitedly.

"We might venture out now." "Don't be rash! We've got to find out what they mean to do." "Come along then, and let's leave the horses where they are.