"Positive. I was quite close, crept down the mountain-side—almost a precipice it was, too—and got within a hundred yards of them; there were about five hundred, I should say."
"That coat of yours make you invisible, Graeme?" resumed Godwin, glancing at Bradford. "You must have gone through their sentries as you did ours. Van der Tann's commando, sir," to Bradford, "is, as you know, a thousand strong, at least."
"Major Godwin, do you mean that I'm a liar?"
"Oh, be quiet, Graeme," said Bradford wearily. "remember to whom you're talking. Do you mean seriously to tell me you have seen Van der Tann's commando?"
"I do."
"You're quite sure you weren't deceived by the darkness, didn't mistake cattle for horses, for instance? It's a thing anybody might do, you know."
"I'm quite sure, sir."
Bradford stared hard at him for a moment, and then looked towards his Chief of the Staff.
"What do you make of it, Godwin?" he said.
For a few seconds the long-nosed man made no answer; his green eyes were fixed upon Hector.