But they were prudent and cautious, they knew and trusted one another, and they observed, with conscientious thoroughness, the unwritten motto of the Committee:
"Think quickly, act firmly, calmly, prudently, without fear. Speak as little as possible."
Terrible were the experiences of some of the men on their secret visits to the town.
Captain Naudé, arriving one night at the house of his friend Mr. Hattingh (the spies naturally did not take shelter in their own homes), was informed that his mother lay dangerously ill in her house close by. It was feared that she would not recover. In the shadows which enveloped her she seemed to have forgotten all about the war, and her only cry was for him, her son.
What was he to do? His mother was surrounded by nurses, and the house was filled with relatives and friends.
As Captain of the Secret Service, his name was too well known. He could not show himself at such a time, when he had every reason to believe that the enemy was watching him with extra vigilance.
The next news, while he was still in hopeless deliberation, was that his mother had passed away.
It needs a strong man's most powerful self-control to "act firmly, calmly, prudently," at such a time, and yet even then he restrained the impulse to go to her.
Of what avail to kiss that icy brow?
Next day, from his hiding-place behind the window curtain, he watched his mother's funeral procession, passing by.