‘But how is it that you have no horses; you do not seem too poor to possess horses.’
‘No, but we were too far from home to go for our horses. We had come by ox-waggon to spend New Year’s Day at Oom Paulus Stichling’s, and when we heard that the English had invaded our country again we just set off on foot, and let Jameson just wait till we come there we will show him, waar David de wortels gegrawen het.’
Steve met many more such parties who had been spending their New Year’s holiday from home, and who had left just as they were to go and meet the enemy. All the mounted Burghers he met were mostly of the very poorest, who could not afford horses of the best speed, and were consequently left behind. As Steve saw that the order of the day was for every man to go as fast as he could, and never mind those who stayed behind, he thought he could do no better than follow suit; consequently, he did not stand on any ceremony, but rode on as fast as he thought prudent, leaving one party after the other behind him.
About midday, he came to a small copse of trees, which he thought just the place to saddle off for a good rest for his horse and himself, as he felt a little tired by this time, and as he was somewhat more reassured now, and the excitement he had felt was a little worn off; he also began to feel a little sleepy. He decided to knee-halter his horse and sleep for an hour, after which he would again proceed. As he was taking the saddle off, he thought he heard voices a little deeper in the copse. He knee-haltered his horse and went to see who was there. He saw two boys of about twelve years of age, gun in hand, sitting eating slices of bread and butter.
‘Well, sonnies, and where are you off to?’
‘Going to fight Jameson.’
‘What?’
‘Are you deaf, uncle? We are going to fight Jameson.’
‘Does your pa know that you are going to the war?’
‘Oh, no, our parents are all away; my father and his (nodding towards his companion) are both gone to the war. They left us to look after the house, but as soon as they were gone, we each took a gun and followed; we are not going to stay at home while the old people fight, ha! ha!’