“Oh yes, all right!” replied Ingleborough; “but look here: you might as well leave us that lantern! We won’t set fire to the bed-curtains, I promise you!”
“No,” said the Boer, and with a chuckle he closed the door of the lantern and walked whistling away to his companion.
“Anson!” said West, with his lips close to Ingleborough’s ear.
“Yes: the fox! How you startled me! I didn’t hear you come! I was keeping up a sham conversation, for they were stealing down upon us to catch us on the hop! You failed, then, or were you obliged to turn back?”
“Neither: I succeeded!”
“What? You got the rifles?”
“Yes.”
“Then they must have seen them when the light was thrown in!”
“No,” said West quietly; “they are outside, leaning against the near hind wheel.”
“West, lad, this seems too good to be true. How did you manage?”