leaders of their fellows, and who inspire confidence magnetically. Ernest had this great gift. At first sight he was much like any other young man, rather careless-looking than otherwise in appearance, and giving the observer the impression that he was thinking of something else; but old hands at native warfare, looking into his dark eyes, saw something there which told them that this young fellow, boy as he was, comparatively speaking, would not show himself wanting in the moment of emergency, either in courage or discretion. Jeremy's nomination, too, as sergeant-major, a very important post in such a corps, was popular enough. People had not forgotten his victory over the Boer giant, and besides, a sergeant-major with such a physique would have been a credit to any corps.
All these things helped to make recruiting an easy task, and when Alston and his son Roger, weary and bruised, stepped out of the Natal post-cart four days later, it was to be met by Ernest and Jeremy with the intelligence that his telegram had been received, the appointments accepted, and thirty-five men provisionally enrolled subject to his approval.
"My word, young gentlemen," he said, highly pleased, "you are lieutenants worth having."
The next fortnight was a busy one for all concerned. The organisation of a colonial volunteer corps is no joke, as anybody who has ever tried it can testify. There were rough uniforms to be provided, arms to be obtained, and a hundred and one other wants to be satisfied. Then came some delay about the horses, which were to be served out by Government. At last these were handed over, a good-looking lot, but apparently very wild. Matters were at this point, when one day Ernest was seated in the room he used as an office in his house, enrolling a new recruit previous to his being sworn, interviewing a tradesman about flannel shirts, making arrangements for a supply of forage, filling up the endless forms which the imperial authorities required for transmission to the War Office, and a hundred other matters. Suddenly his orderly announced that two privates of the corps wished to see him.
"What is it?" he asked of the orderly, testily; for he was nearly worked to death.
"A complaint, sir."
"Well, send them in."
The door opened, and a curious couple entered. One was a great, burly sailorman, who had been a quartermaster on board one of her Majesty's ships at Cape Town, got drunk, overstayed his leave, and deserted rather than face the punishment; the other a quick, active little fellow, with a face like a ferret. He was a Zululand trader, who had ruined himself by drink, and a peculiarly valuable member of the corps on account of his knowledge of the country in which they were going to serve. Both men saluted and stood at ease.
"Well, my men, what is it?" asked Ernest, going on filling up his forms.
"Nothing, so far as I am concerned, sir," said the little man.
Ernest looked up sharply at the quondam tar.
"Now, Adam, your complaint; I have no time to waste."
Adam hitched up his breeches and began:
"You see, sir, I brought /he/ here by the scruff of the neck."
"That's true, sir," said the little man, rubbing that portion of his body.
"Because he and I, sir, as is messmates, sir, 'ad a difference of opinion. It was his day, you see, sir, to cook for our mess, and instead of putting on the pot, sir, he comes to me he does, and he says, 'Adam, you blooming father of a race of fools'--that's what he says, sir, a-comparing of me to the gent who lived in a garden--'why don't you come and take the skins off the ---- taters, instead of a-squatting of yourself down on that there ---- bed!'"
"Slightly in error, sir," broke in the little man, suavely; "our big friend's memory is not as substantial as his form. What I said was, 'My /dear/ Adam, as I see you have nothing to occupy your time, except sit and play a jew's-harp upon your /couch/, would you be so kind as to come and assist me to remove the outer integument of these potatoes?'"
Ernest began to explode, but checked himself, and said sternly:
"Don't talk nonsense, Adam; tell me your complaint or go."
"Well, sir," answered the big sailor, scratching his head, "if I git it a name, it is this--this here man, sir, be too /infarnal sargustic/."
"Be off with you both," said Ernest, sternly, "and don't trouble me with any such nonsense again, or I will put you both under arrest, and stop your pay. Come, march!" and he pointed to the door. As he did so he observed a Boer gallop swiftly past the house, and take the turn to Government House.
"What is up now?" he wondered.
Half an hour afterwards another man passed the window, also at full gallop, and also turned up towards Government House. Another half-hour passed, and Mr. Alston came hurrying in.
"Look here, Ernest," he said, "here is a pretty business. Three men have come in to report that Cetywayo has sent an Impi (army) round by the back of Secocoeni's country to burn Pretoria, and return to Zululand across the high veld. They say that the Impi is now resting in the Saltpan Bush, about twenty miles off, and will attack the town to-night or to-morrow night. All these three, who have, by the way, had no communication with each other, state that they have actually seen the captains of the Impi, who came to tell them to bid the other Dutchmen to stand aside, as they are now fighting the Queen, and the Boers would not be hurt."
"It seems incredible," said Ernest; "do you believe it?"
"I don't know. It is possible, and the evidence is strong. It is possible; I have known the Zulus make longer marches than that. The Governor has ordered me to gallop to the spot, and report if I can see anything of this Impi."
"Am I to go too?"
"No, you will remain in the corps. I take Roger with me--he is a light weight--and two spare horses. If there should be an attack and I should not be back, or if anything should happen, you will do your duty."
"Yes."
"Good-bye. I am off. You had better muster the men to be ready for an emergency;" and he was gone.
Ten minutes afterwards, down came an orderly from the officer commanding, with a peremptory order that the officer commanding Alston's Horse was to mount and parade his men in readiness for immediate service.
"Here is a pretty go," thought Ernest, "and the horses not served out yet!"
Just then Jeremy came in, saluted, and informed him that the men were mustered.
"Serve out the saddlery. Let every man shoulder his saddle. Tell Mazooku to bring out the 'Devil' (Ernest's favourite horse), and march the men up to the Government stables. I will be with you presently."
Jeremy saluted again with much ceremony and vanished. He was the most punctilious sergeant-major who ever breathed.
Twenty minutes later, a long file of men, each with a carbine slung to his back, and a saddle on his head, which, at a distance, gave them the appearance of a string of gigantic mushrooms, were to be seen proceeding towards the Government stables a mile away.
Ernest, mounted on his great black stallion, and looking, in his military uniform and the revolver slung across his shoulders, a typical volunteer officer, was there before them.
"Now, my men," he said, as soon as they were paraded, "go in, and each man choose the horse which he likes best, bridle him, bring him out and saddle him. Sharp!"
The
