Mrs. Lovat and Mary were still in the dining-room, and as Jack entered, the former exclaimed, "What is the meaning of all this firing, Jack?"
"It means, mother, that if there had been no firing, the Boers would before now have emptied our stables. We have beaten them off, I think."
"Has anyone been hurt?" inquired Mrs. Lovat nervously.
"Not on our side, mother," replied Jack, with a laugh; "as far as the Boers are concerned, I do not know. If any harm has happened to father, then I hope we have killed the lot of them. Moses is still on guard, mother; you need have no fear. I shall be back presently;" and he walked out of the room.
Moses, whose white teeth gleamed as Jack passed him, said, "Dings are all right, Baas Jack. I will see dat no Boers come in here to frighten de missis an' de little missie."
"Quite right, Moses," observed Jack cheerfully. "Give the beggars beans if they come."
"I'll do dat, baas," replied the grinning Kaffir.
An hour later the moon, which was on the wane, would creep over the kopje, and give the defenders of the farm a chance to locate their now unseen assailants.
A deep silence hung over the place, and Jack groped his way along the wall leading to the ostrich kraal. Pat evidently knew his work, for the place was in darkness.
Suddenly a challenge rang out: "Is that you, sorr?"