“Oh yes, sir; it was coming on at a great rate.”
“Humph! Then you did a very brave action.”
“Oh no, sir,” said the sergeant. “We were obliged to. Why, we should, as Dr Emden says, sir, have been blown all to bits if we hadn’t. We were obliged to do something sharp.”
“Yes,” said the colonel dryly. “It was sharp work, sergeant, and you saved my life and the major’s.”
“Did we, sir? Very glad of it, sir.”
“But about how the powder was conveyed there. I can see nothing for it but treachery within the camp.—Of course!—Those Boers!”
“But they had gone, sir,” said Lennox.
“Yes, and left us a memento of their visit.”
“Beg pardon, sir,” said Dickenson.
“Yes? Go on, Mr Dickenson.”