“Just for the sake of gratifying a little idle curiosity.”
“Oh, very well then! I don’t like to come to such a natural curiosity without exploring; so here goes alone.”
The next moment the first speaker had stretched out his hand and barred his companion’s way with his rifle.
“What do you mean by that?” cried the Boer.
“To stop you going.”
“What!” cried the other. “I shall go if I please!”
“No!” said the first speaker sternly. “I order you not!”
“You—you order me?” cried the other wrathfully.
“Yes; recollect that you are a soldier for the time being, and under my command. I order you not to go, for we have too much need of all our brave burghers to defend the country to let any man risk his life in a foolhardy adventure.”
“Pish!”