Part 26 (1/2)

CHAPTER TWELVE

GALLANT MAFEKING!

Had he been the bearer of the erly-looked-for news, Jack could not have received a allant little garrison of Mafeking As he staggered into the town, hot, dusty, and dishevelled, and worn out with his long tramp, a horn was sounded, and hosts ofin a circle round him, listened while Colonel Baden-Powell--affectionately known as B-P by his lass of brandydown on a box at the colonel's invitation, Jack detailed his news and delivered his despatch That done, he was hurried off by a nuround cell built close behind a parapet of sand-bags, and there given a couple of blankets to lie on He was tired out by his long ain the afternoon was far advanced Rising fro fellow busily tending so fire

”Oh, there you are at last!” the latter exclai to hear all your news, but have had to wait patiently for you to wake up Can I do anything for you?”

”Yes, if you could tell me where I can obtain a bucket of water and a ed,” answered Jack cheerfully

”I haven't had a wash for three days”

”Oh, that's nothing!” the other answered, with a gay laugh ”It's nearly three weeks since I had a shave, and when I got a look at lass yesterday I nearly had a fit Such a fright I look with this beard! But we're all the same, that's one comfort But you want some water! You'll find soo, and if you hear the horn sound make a bolt for this bomb-proof cell We always keep a felloatch, and as soon as he sees the suns he sounds his horn and we all run for shelter It generally gives us plenty of tiet under cover

But soht”

Jack thanked the volunteer for his information, and strolled across to the house There was a pu off his coat and shi+rt, he enjoyed a thorough rinse He had already borrowed a towel, and on returning he obtained a slass, and made his hair tidy Then he stood outside the cell and chatted with the volunteer who had first spoken to hi

”Oh, we've had pretty lively ti fellow exclaimed jovially ”Of course you know that B-P turned up here soo, and started at once to enlist a colonial mounted corps There wasn'tabout hier despatched his ultimatum, and we sent most of our women and children south with Nesbit, who, as I dare say you have already heard, was captured on the return journey By October 14th ere surrounded, but B-P didn't let the grass grow much before he was at them For instance, on the 13th he sent out a couple of trucks of dynaer to us in the town They were attached to an engine, and backed a alloped forhen they saw the engine uncouple and steaht they were armoured trucks filled with e blazed away at them

There was a terrific explosion, and it is reported that a hundred were killed Then on the 14th we made a sortie and drew our friends into an ambush, in which they suffered still more heavily

”Since that tih I expect we shall beat the us at a range of two and a half ot some heavier metal about five miles away, and the shells are by no means pleasant Still, we have come off well up to this Now, Soive me some of the outside news”

Jack told hin in Natal, and wound up with his ride to Ki

”'Pon my word, I believe you have seen more of the war than anyone!”

exclairumble

Here we are, volunteers, and a detachment of the Munster Fusiliers, and townss turn out as is expected we shall have precious tough work to hold the place against the enemy”

”From what you have toldbefore the siege is over,” answered Jack ”For ives one a splendid outdoor life, with plenty of adventure, and the dangers are not really more than those you incur here You never knohen these shells may drop on your head, so that, however carefully you keep below the sand-bag parapet, you may be struck down at anythe street, and joined Jack and the volunteer They had just been relieved of picket duty, and tackled the usto A stalwart, sunburnt set of young English kit and shi+rt, with sleeves rolled up to the elbow and slouch hat upon their heads, they looked capable of the toughest fighting Nearly every one of these young felloas the younger son of gentlefolks in England Restless young spirits, full of pluck and go, who had failed in their examinations at home, or could not settle down to the huine that only a few years before every one of them was the pride and joy of soland--the kind of boy who captained the football or cricket teams, and with the roar of his schoolfellows' cheers behind hioal-posts of so hero, dressed in white flannels and shi+rt, who stood fast at the wickets and saved the day for his coest balls delivered to him away to the boundary That is the kind of lad that most of these had been, and now, under vastly altered circu theround in the shade, they ate theirout their pipes, they erly to Jack's news

In theof the heights of Talana Hill a horn sounded in the distance, and instantly all scuttled into the bomb-proof shelter They were not a e shell shrieked just above their heads, and, striking the house opposite, exploded with a terrific flash and roar, shattering the walls to pieces

”That's bad luck!” one of the volunteers snouted; ”it has s quarters, and has set them on fire Tumble up, you fellows, and set to work to put the fla water on the flaring timbers The fire was soon put out, and they returned once ood deal of service already, So fellows, ”but if you have nothing to do to-morrow, and care for a new experience, I will take you out to snipe the eneame, but has its excitements We shall have to crawl out in the dark about three o'clock, take up our quarters outside, and wait there till the following night Perhaps we shall not get a shot all day But on the other hand wea few of the Boers who show thely assented, and nextvolunteer outside the defences Each carried a rifle and plenty of alasses, water and food sufficient to last the day

”Now the thing is to get hold of a spot where there is so volunteer, whose name was Francis ”I know a splendid place, where we shall be able to get out of the rays of the sun We can lie there together and chat It istheir way carefully ast the boulders, Jack and Francis soon reached a

It was really a gigantic boulder, which had at so a few feet apart In the gap between, a little wall of boulders and sand-bags had been made Francis stretched a blanket from one piece of the rock to the other, and kept it in position by ht,” he said, with satisfaction ”However hot the sun is we shall be sheltered froet our rifles ready, and have a snooze till the dawn breaks”