They had ornamented the
roof of the house with a white flag, following the custom then
prevailing in those parts threatened by the enemy.
"They've been fighting all the morning," they said, wiping their eyes,
"and now our men are retreating. Whatever will become of us?"
I stabled my horse, walked to the fence, attached the vibrator, and
called up Heilbron. No reply. The line was down again!
This discovery put me into a pretty bad temper. Presently about a dozen
Boers came galloping along from the fighting line. On seeing me, the
leader reined in and shouted--
"What the devil is this? What are you doing here?" He took me for an
Englishman, and thought this a good opportunity to gain distinction.
Thoroughly roused by his bullying tone, I retorted--
"And who the devil are you? And where the devil are you running away to
in such a hurry?"
Taken aback, he faltered--
"Oh, I have orders from my commandant, which I must keep secret."
"Yes, I know your kind of orders. Get away, and don't interfere with
men who are doing their duty." The band thereupon cleared off. Then a
despatch rider came dashing up, his splendid black entire specked with
foam.
"I have an urgent despatch for the Government," he said, after we had
made ourselves known to each other, "but my mount is about done up after
all the riding about I have done away on our left.
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