“And at Ingogo?”
“Six hundred and twenty.”
“And at Majuba?”
“One thousand.”
“Then that makes two thousand five hundred men; yes, and the rest were finished at Bronker’s Spruit. Nephews, that rooibaatje there,” pointing to John, “is one of the last men left in the British army.”
Most of her audience appeared to accept this argument as conclusive, but some mischievous spirit put it into the breast of the saturnine Carolus to contradict her, notwithstanding the lesson he had just received.
“That is not so, my aunt; there are many damned Englishmen still sneaking about the Nek, and also at Pretoria and Wakkerstroom.”
“I tell you it is a lie,” said the old lady, raising her voice, “they are only Kafirs and camp-followers. There were three thousand men in the British army, and now they are all killed except that rooibaatje. How dare you contradict your future mother-in-law, you dirty squint-eyed, yellow-faced monkey? There, take that!” and before the unfortunate Carolus knew where he was, he received the slop-basin with its contents full in the face. The bowl broke upon the bridge of his nose, and the coffee flew all about him, into his eyes and hair, down his throat and over his body, making such a spectacle of him as must have been seen to be appreciated.
“Ah!” went on the old lady, much soothed and gratified by the eminent and startling success of her shot, “never you say again that I don’t know how to throw a basin of coffee. I haven’t practised at my man Hans for thirty years for nothing, I can tell you. Now you, Carolus, I have taught you not to contradict; go and wash your face and we will have supper.”
Carolus ventured no reply, and was led away by his betrothed half blinded and utterly subdued, while her sister set the table for the evening meal. When it was ready the men sat down to meat and the women waited on them. John was not asked to join them, but one of the girls threw him a boiled mealiecob, for which, being still very hungry, he was duly grateful, and afterwards he managed to secure a mutton bone and another bit of bread.