“You see, sir,” continued Roby, speaking in a peculiarly excited way, “the men, as an Irishman would say, are spoiling for a fight, and we are getting weaker and weaker. In another fortnight we shall be quite helpless.”
“I hope not, Mr Roby,” said the colonel dryly. “Perhaps you would like to try some such experiment with a couple of companies?”
“I should, sir,” cried the captain eagerly; and the other officers looked from one to the other wonderingly, and more wonderingly still when the colonel said calmly:
“Very well, Mr Roby. I will make my plans and observations as to which of the three laagers it would be more prudent to attack. If you do not succeed, you ought at least to be able to bring in some of the enemy’s cattle.”
That evening the colonel had a quiet council with the major, the latter being strongly opposed to the plan; but the colonel was firm.
“I do not expect much,” he said, “but it will be reading the Boers a lesson, even if he fails, and do our men good, for all this inaction is telling upon them, as I have been noticing, to my sorrow, during the past three or four days. To be frank with you, Robson, I have been maturing something of the kind.”
“But you will not give the command to Roby?” cried the major.
“Certainly not,” said the colonel emphatically. “You will take the lead.”
“Ha!” ejaculated the major.
“With Roby as second in command. I will talk with you after I have done a little scouting on my own account.”